Amplification of ultrashort pulses with Nd:glass amplifiers pumped by alexandrite free running laser
First Claim
1. A method of producing an ultra-high peak power pulse, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration from an optical oscillator;
stretching in time the short optical pulse by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000 to produce a time-stretched optical pulse to be amplified;
amplifying the time-stretched optical pulse in a solid state amplifying media, said step of amplifying additionally including the step of combining the time-stretched optical pulse with an optical energy generated by a laser used to pump the solid-state amplifying media; and
compressing in time the amplified time-stretched optical pulse, whereby the amplitude of the resulting amplified time-stretched compressed optical pulse is increased.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for producing ultra-high peak power pulses employs a plurality of solid state amplifying materials, such as Nd:glass, alexandrite, and Ti:sapphire, to achieve stretching of a pulse prior to amplification by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000. The time-stretched pulse is amplified by many orders of magnitude, illustratively 109. After time-stretching and amplification, the pulse is then recompressed to its original duration. Pumping of the multiple solid-state elements is performed simultaneously using an alexandrite laser which is tunable between approximately 700 and 800 nm. The pumping energy has a pulse duration which is less than the fluorescence lifetime of the excited solid-state media.
70 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of producing an ultra-high peak power pulse, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration from an optical oscillator; stretching in time the short optical pulse by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000 to produce a time-stretched optical pulse to be amplified; amplifying the time-stretched optical pulse in a solid state amplifying media, said step of amplifying additionally including the step of combining the time-stretched optical pulse with an optical energy generated by a laser used to pump the solid-state amplifying media; and compressing in time the amplified time-stretched optical pulse, whereby the amplitude of the resulting amplified time-stretched compressed optical pulse is increased. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for producing an ultra-high peak power optical pulse, the system comprising:
-
an optical oscillator for producing a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration; a plurality of glass rods, of the type which produce optical amplification, disposed in an optically serial arrangement having first and second ends, said plurality of glass rods being arranged at said first end thereof to receive said optical pulse from said optical oscillator, and at said second end thereof to output an amplified output pulse which has a duration longer than said predetermined duration of said short optical pulse from said optical oscillator; optical pump means for optically pumping said plurality of glass rods simultaneously, said optical pump means being formed of an alexandrite laser; and compressor means for reducing the duration of the amplified output pulse and producing at an output thereof the ultra-high peak power optical pulse. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification