Nonuniform optical diffraction gratings for laser pulse compression

Abstract

It is shown that a pair of perpendicular optical diffraction gratings leads to a time delay which grows strictly linearly as a function of frequency. Such a device associated with a simple nonuniform diffraction grating allows the realization of lasers with very powerful short pulses following the principle of amplification of long optical pulses linearly frequency modulated. The compression and expansion factors within reach are of the order of 10 4 to 10 5.