Nonlinear Pulse Compression Research Articles

Generation of 1 MHz 15 fs pulses in the near-infrared with high energy and their application to time-resolved spectroscopy

Ultrashort pulses with a duration of ∼10 fs are crucial to fully resolve nuclear motions in molecules and materials. Here, we employ nonlinear pulse compression using photonic crystal fiber in the near-infrared region to generate ultrashort pulses at a high repetition rate with significant pulse energy. Femtosecond pulses centered around 1200 nm from a cavity-dumped optical parametric oscillator are compressed to a duration of 15 fs. The pulse energy reaches several tens of nanojoules, sufficient for wavelength conversion via nonlinear processes. Second harmonic generation produces clean 13 fs pulses at around 600 nm with pulse energy of 4 nJ. The effectiveness of nonlinear pulse compression using photonic crystal fiber for ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy is demonstrated through time-resolved fluorescence (photoluminescence) and transient absorption apparatus, utilizing the second harmonic as pump pulses. Specifically, a time resolution of ∼20 fs is achieved in a time-resolved fluorescence experiment, enabling the recording of nuclear wave packets over 1200 cm−1 by spontaneous fluorescence. The high repetition rate at the megahertz level significantly improved the signal quality.

Carrier-envelope phase-stabilized ultrashort pulses from a gas-filled multi-pass cell

Few-cycle laser pulses at a high repetition rate with a stable carrier-envelope phase are required for next-generation attosecond time-resolved spectroscopies. One way to generate these pulses is the nonlinear compression of laser pulses via gas-filled hollow-core fibers. Recently, an alternative approach based on multi-pass cells (MPCs) has been shown to be very efficient for post-compression of turn-key, industrial-grade, high average power Yb-doped solid-state laser amplifiers. However, to expand the system for exploring strong-field laser applications, its carrier-envelope phase stability needs to be demonstrated in the compressed pulses. In this Letter, we present the generation of carrier-envelope phase-stabilized 40 fs pulses with 380 μJ energy at 50 kHz by compressing the output of a Yb:KGW amplifier in a gas-filled MPC. Comparable short-term carrier-envelope phase errors of 412 and 435 mrad root mean square were observed from the amplifier and MPC, respectively, indicating that the phase stability of the amplified pulses is well-maintained during pulse compression in the MPC.

Spatial mode cleaning and efficient nonlinear pulse compression to sub-50 fs in a gas-filled multipass cell.

We demonstrate a gas-filled multipass cell (MPC) that cleaned the spatial mode of a spatial-filter-free 250 W, 100 kHz, 445 fs driven source based on an Innoslab amplifier and compressed the pulse duration to 41 fs simultaneously. The multipass cell acted as a spatial filter and benefited from its discrete waveguide nature, in which the input beam quality factor M2 was improved from 1.53 to a near-diffraction-limited value of 1.21 at 96% transmission.

Highly efficient nonlinear compression of mJ pulses at 2 μm wavelength to 20 fs in a gas-filled multi-pass cell

Within this work we demonstrate the highly efficient nonlinear spectral broadening and subsequent temporal compression of 1.49 mJ pulses at 101 kHz repetition rate from an ultrafast thulium-doped fiber laser system employing a gas-filled multi-pass cell (MPC). To achieve spectral broadening, we use a krypton and helium-filled Herriott-type MPC with highly reflective broadband dielectric mirrors. The spectrally broadened pulses are subsequently compressed using fused-silica plates, resulting in a pulse duration of 20 fs and an overall excellent transmission of 96%. Furthermore, the beam quality is preserved up to the maximum output power of 144 W. It provides, to the best of our knowledge, the highest average power with few-cycle pulses at 2 µm wavelength with almost 10 times more pulse energy and 3 times more average power than previous 2 µm MPCs, enabling future secondary source experiments.

Hybrid air-bulk multi-pass cell compressor for high pulse energies with full spatio-temporal characterization

Multi-pass cell (MPC) compressors have proven to be the method of choice for compression of high average power long-pulse Yb lasers. Yet, generating sub-30 fs pulses at high pulse energy with compact and simple components remains a challenge. This work demonstrates an efficient and cost-effective approach for nonlinear pulse compression at high pulse energy using a hybrid air-bulk MPC. By carefully balancing the relative nonlinear contributions of ambient air and fused silica, we achieve strong spectral broadening without dispersion engineering or pressure-control inside the cell at 400-µJ pulse energy. In this way, we compress pulses from 220 fs to 27 fs at 40.3 W of average power (100 kHz repetition rate), enhancing the peak power from 1.6 GW to 10.2 GW while maintaining 78% of the energy within the main pulse. Our approach combines the strengths of gas-filled and bulk compression schemes and exhibits excellent overall optical transmission (91%) and spectral uniformity. Moreover, we utilize the INSIGHT technique to investigate spatio-temporal couplings and geometrical aberrations of the compressed pulse. Our results demonstrate remarkable temporal homogeneity, with an average Strehl ratio of 0.97 consistently observed throughout the entire spectral profile. Additionally, all spectrally-integrated Zernike coefficients for geometrical aberrations maintain values below 0.02λ.

Efficient nonlinear pulse compression to 20 fs based on an all-solid-state periodic self-focusing system

Ultrafast lasers with high average power and excellent spatial characteristics have been sought after in the ultrafast optics field. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a simple Gaussian beam optics model to realize the configuration of periodic self-focusing systems for generating intense ultrashort pulse with high spatial quality. An efficient 17-fold nonlinear pulse compression is implemented by a two-stage solid-thin-plates periodic self-focusing system based on this model, delivering 20 fs (full-width-at-half-maximum, FWHM) pulses with a pulse energy of 155 µJ at a repetition rate of 200 kHz. The waveguide-like self-consistent stationary spatial mode propagation achieved in the system enables the high efficiency of 94 %, good beam quality and spectral homogeneity across the beam profile. The solid-thin-plates in three different materials are used in the first stage, which manifests the model can be widely applied in many kinds of nonlinear medium. In the second stage, a simple and compact double-pass architecture is demonstrated, indirectly proving the accuracy of model. The beam propagations under non-stationary modes are also investigated and a more precise quasi-stable oscillatory region is suggested based on the Gaussian beam optics model. These results underline that the Gaussian beam optics model is a practical solution for identifying the self-consistent stationary mode of the periodic self-focusing system and show the potential of the periodic self-focusing system for efficient few-cycle pulses generation which is demand by many applications.

Sub-10-fs pulse generation from 10 nJ Yb-fiber laser with cascaded nonlinear pulse compression.

We demonstrate cascaded nonlinear pulse compression of a Yb-doped fiber laser. The system is based on two pulse compression stages with bare single-mode fiber (SMF) and ultra-high NA (UHNA) fibers combined with two pairs of chirped mirrors. The 10 nJ, 110 fs input pulses are compressed down to 9.1 fs at 90 MHz, revealing a broadband spectrum from 800 nm to 1350 nm. This technique provides a simple approach to sub-10-fs compact Yb-doped fiber lasers for a variety of applications.

Nonlinear pulse compression technique based on in multi-pass plano-cancave cavity

<sec>Ultrafast femtosecond laser system with hundreds of microjoules of energy, operating at a repetition frequency of several kilohertz, has very important applications in many fields such as medicine, mid-infrared laser generation, industrial processing, and vibrational spectroscopy. The chirped pulse amplification technique provides a feasible path to obtain light sources with those parameters. However, the use of chirped pulse amplification increases the technical complexity and cost of the laser system. Recently, the proposal of a multi-pass cell (MPC) nonlinear pulse compression technique has enabled us to obtain high power ultrafast femtosecond pulses with reduced technical complexity and cost. The device requires only two concave mirrors and a nonlinear medium in between. In the past seven years, the multi-pass cell nonlinear pulse compression technique has made great progress, making it possible to obtain ultrashort pulses with average power of more than a few kW and peak power of tens to hundreds of TW.</sec><sec>In this work, we achieve nonlinear pulse compression of a 100-W picosecond laser by using an improved nonlinear pulse compression scheme that combines a hybrid of a plano-cancave multi-pass cell and multi-thin-plate. Using fused silica plates in plano-cancave cavity, the spectral bandwidth (FWHM) of input picosecond laser is broadened from 0.24 nm to 4.8 nm due to self-phase modulation effect, the pulse is compressed to 483 fs by dispersion compensation using grating pairs, which corresponds to a compression factor of 22, and the final output power of 44.2 W is obtained. Compared with traditional MPC, the plano-cancave cavity scheme we developed is a very promising solution for nonlinear compression due to its compactness, more stability and large compression ratio.</sec>

Sub-2-cycle multi-mJ single-stage post-compression in a multipass cell

We report on the nonlinear temporal compression of multi-mJ pulses from a commercial Ti:Sa laser in a gas-filled multipass cell down to a record pulse duration of 4 fs with 60% overall efficiency.

Few-cycle pulse generation by multi-pass multi-plate nonlinear pulse compression

Few-cycle pulse generation by multi-pass multi-plate nonlinear pulse compression

High-power two-color plasma-based THz generation driven by a Tm-doped fiber laser.

We report on the efficient generation of broadband THz radiation based on a two-color gas-plasma scheme. Broadband THz pulses covering the whole THz spectral region, from 0.1-35 THz, are generated. This is enabled by a high-power, ultra-fast, thulium-doped, fiber chirped pulse amplification (Tm:FCPA) system and a subsequent nonlinear pulse compression stage that uses a gas-filled capillary. The driving source delivers 40 fs pulses at a central wavelength of 1.9 μm with 1.2 mJ pulse energy and 101 kHz repetition rate. Owing to the long driving wavelength and the use of a gas-jet in the THz generation focus, the highest reported conversion efficiency for high-power THz sources (>20 mW) of 0.32% has been achieved. The high efficiency and average power of 380 mW of the broadband THz radiation make this an ideal source for nonlinear, tabletop THz science.

Nonlinear pulse compression to sub-two-cycle, 1.3 mJ pulses at 1.9 μm wavelength with 132 W average power.

We report the nonlinear pulse compression of a high-power, thulium-doped fiber laser system using a gas-filled hollow-core fiber. The sub-two cycle source delivers 1.3 mJ pulse energy with 80 GW peak power at a central wavelength of 1.87 μm and an average power of 132 W. This is, so far, to the best of our knowledge, the highest average power of a few-cycle laser source reported in the short-wave infrared region. Given its unique combination of high pulse energy and high average power, this laser source is an excellent driver for nonlinear frequency conversion, toward terahertz, mid-infrared, and soft X-ray spectral regions.

Few-cycle pulse generation by double-stage hybrid multi-pass multi-plate nonlinear pulse compression.

Few-cycle pulses present an essential tool to track ultrafast dynamics in matter and drive strong field effects. To address photon-hungry applications, high average power lasers are used which, however, cannot directly provide sub-100-fs pulse durations. Post-compression of laser pulses by spectral broadening and dispersion compensation is the most efficient method to overcome this limitation. We present a notably compact setup which turns a 0.1-GW peak power, picosecond burst-mode laser into a 2.9-GW peak power, 8.2-fs source. The 120-fold pulse duration shortening is accomplished in a two-stage hybrid multi-pass, multi-plate compression setup. To our knowledge, neither shorter pulses nor higher peak powers have been reported to-date from bulk multi-pass cells alone, manifesting the power of the hybrid approach. It puts, for instance, compact, cost-efficient, and high repetition rate attosecond sources within reach.

Simple, stable and efficient nonlinear pulse compression through cascaded filamentation in air

Abstract Nonlinear compression has become an obligatory technique along with the development of ultrafast lasers in generating ultrashort pulses with narrow pulse widths and high peak power. In particular, techniques of nonlinear compression have experienced a rapid progress as ytterbium (Yb)-doped lasers with pulse widths in the range from hundreds of femtoseconds to a few picoseconds have become mainstream laser tools for both scientific and industrial applications. Here, we report a simple and stable nonlinear pulse compression technique with high efficiency through cascaded filamentation in air followed by dispersion compensation. Pulses at a center wavelength of 1040 nm with millijoule pulse energy and 160 fs pulse width from a high-power Yb:CaAlGdO4 regenerative amplifier are compressed to 32 fs, with only 2.4% loss from the filamentation process. The compressed pulse has a stable output power with a root-mean-square variation of 0.2% over 1 hour.

Ultrafast thin-disk laser oscillators as driving sources for high harmonic generation

Thin-disk laser oscillators can nowadays reach few tens of femtosecond pulses at gigawatt-level intracavity powers and megahertz-repetition rates becoming increasingly more powerful sources for intra-oscillator high harmonic generation (HHG). Currently, we can generate high harmonics in neon reaching photon energies of 70 eV, which we expect to increase toward 100 eV in the near future. In parallel, the achievable average and peak output powers of these oscillators in the range of 100 W and 100 MW, respectively, make these sources very promising to drive HHG in single-pass configuration after nonlinear pulse compression. Starting from transform-limited 30 to 50-fs soliton output soliton pulses of TDL oscillators, we will likely see these lasers approaching a single-cycle regime becoming highly attractive sources for attosecond science.

Numerical Simulation of Nonlinear Pulse Compression of High-energy Ytterbium-doped Femtosecond Laser Based on Multiple Thin Solid Plates

Numerical Simulation of Nonlinear Pulse Compression of High-energy Ytterbium-doped Femtosecond Laser Based on Multiple Thin Solid Plates

A New Insight into High-Aspect-Ratio Channel Drilling in Translucent Dielectrics with a KrF Laser for Waveguide Applications.

A new insight into capillary channel formation with a high aspect ratio in the translucent matter by nanosecond UV laser pulses is discussed based on our experiments on KrF laser multi-pulse drilling of polymethyl methacrylate and K8 silica glass. The proposed mechanism includes self-consistent laser beam filamentation along a small UV light penetration depth caused by a local refraction index increase due to material densification by both UV and ablation pressure, followed by filamentation-assisted ablation. A similar mechanism was shown to be realized in highly transparent media, i.e., KU-1 glass with a multiphoton absorption switched on instead of linear absorption. Waveguide laser beam propagation in long capillary channels was considered for direct electron acceleration by high-power laser pulses and nonlinear compression of excimer laser pulses into the picosecond range.

Nonlinear post-compression in multi-pass cells in the mid-IR region using bulk materials.

We numerically investigate the regime of nonlinear pulse compression at mid-IR wavelengths in a multi-pass cell (MPC) containing a dielectric plate. This post-compression setup allows for ionization-free spectral broadening and self-compression while mitigating self-focusing effects. We find that self-compression occurs for a wide range of MPC and pulse parameters and derive scaling rules that enable its optimization. We also reveal the solitonic dynamics of the pulse propagation in the MPC and its limitations and show that spatiotemporal/spectral couplings can be mitigated for appropriately chosen parameters. In addition, we reveal the formation of spectral features akin to quasi-phase matched degenerate four-wave mixing. Finally, we present two case studies of self-compression at 3-μm and 6-μm wavelengths using pulse parameters compatible with driving high-field physics experiments. The simulations presented in this paper set a framework for future experimental work using few-cycle pulses at mid-IR wavelengths.

Vortex beam assisted energy up-scaling for multiple-plate compression with a single spiral phase plate.

The vortex beam (Laguerre-Gaussian, LG10 mode) is employed to alleviate crystal damage in multiple-plate continuum generation. We successfully compressed 190-fs, 1030-nm pulses to 42 fs with 590 μJ input pulse energy, which is 5.5 times higher than that obtained by a Gaussian beam setup of the same footprint. High throughput (86%) and high intensity-weighted beam homogeneity (>98%) have also been achieved. This experiment confirms the great potential of beam shaping in energy up-scaling of nonlinear pulse compression.

Simultaneous Pulse Combination and Nearly Self-Similar Pulse Compression in Tapered Silicon Waveguides at Around 2.0 μm

Nonlinear pulse compression technology permits practitioners to produce ultrashort pulses for integrated frequency comb generation and optical coherence tomography. However, on-chip simultaneous combination and compression of two pulses at 2.0 μm is a complex nonlinear dynamic that has never been reported. Here, we demonstrate that two raised cosine pulses with the same center wavelengths of 2.0 μm are firstly coalesced into a single combined pulse and then realize nearly self-similar compression in the dispersion exponentially decreasing silicon waveguide, where the final compressed pulse was reduced from 200 fs to 49 fs with a compression factor of 4.08. Additionally, the peak power of the compressed pulse steadily rises to 2.16 times of the initial peak power. For further development, we also illustrate two input pulses with different center wavelengths to realize effective combination and self-similar compression. These results shed new insights into the potential of dispersion engineering waveguides for low-power integrated applications at 2.0 μm.