Ultrafast light fields enable studies of ultrafast processes in physics, chemistry and biology at the femtosecond scale[
High Power Laser Science and Engineering, Volume. 7, Issue 4, 04000e61(2019)
Toward 5.2 μm terawatt few-cycle pulses via optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification with oxide La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14 crystals Editors' Pick
High-power femtosecond lasers beyond
1 Introduction
Ultrafast light fields enable studies of ultrafast processes in physics, chemistry and biology at the femtosecond scale[
One core parameter in strong-field physics is the electron quiver energy,
Owing to these interesting applications, the generation of intense mid-IR ultrafast lasers has attracted increasing interest from the optical community. Given the lack of traditional laser amplifiers beyond
Sign up for High Power Laser Science and Engineering TOC Get the latest issue of High Power Laser Science and Engineering delivered right to you!Sign up now
|
|
The performance of ultrafast OPA and OPCPA significantly depends on nonlinear crystals. In the ultrafast systems listed in Tables
In this paper, we put forward a
2 Source architecture
The phase-matching (PM) condition is the major factor that governs OPCPA. In the whole paper, we define the three interacting waves of the highest, moderate and lowest frequencies as ‘pump’, ‘signal’ and ‘idler’, respectively (i.e.,
Based on the unique PM characteristics of LGN, we design a
The mid-IR seeding pulse for
The high-power thin-disk Yb:YAG picosecond laser is selected as the pump source for our OPCPA system, which has many advantages over typical Nd:YAG or Nd:glass lasers. First, the laser can support a repetition rate above 1 kHz due to good heat dissipation of the thin-disk geometry. In contrast, a high-power Nd:YAG or Nd:glass rod-type laser usually operates at 10 Hz or less. Second, the picosecond thin-disk laser allows a higher pump intensity in the crystal because the damage threshold of nonlinear crystals increases as pump pulse duration decreases[
The 200 mJ energy from Yb:YAG laser is divided into three parts of 5, 45 and 150 mJ to pump three OPCPA stages with LGN crystal length of 15, 12 and 7 mm, respectively. Three beams of pump light are telescoped into beam sizes of 2.1, 6.1 and 11.2 mm (full width at half maximum (FWHM)), respectively, so that three OPCPA stages can be pumped by the same intensity of
3 Numerical model
All of the simulations in this paper are based on the refined Sellmeier equation of LGN given in Ref. [
4 Results and discussion
4.1 Intrapulse DFG for generating mid-IR seed pulses
The collinear intrapulse DFG between the short-wavelength (pump) and long-wavelength (signal) components of a single octave-spanning pulse can generate the mid-IR pulse (idler) for seeding subsequent OPCPA. Type-II PM (
In addition to broadband PM for the
To accommodate Type-II DFG, the LGN crystal is rotated around the light path so that the linearly polarized input beam can have components along the
Based on the above parameters and analysis, we numerically solve Equations (
Figure
4.2 Three-stage OPCPA
Spectral width of the
The design parameters of the three-stage OPCPA are given in Figure
Three OPCPA stages, based on LGN crystals with lengths of 15, 12 and 7 mm, respectively, amplify the 90 nJ mid-IR seed to 0.1, 2.8 and 16.5 mJ successively, with the total pump-to-IR energy conversion efficiency of about 8% (Figure
|
4.3 Dispersion management
The use of a picosecond pump pulse facilitates the compression of a
Table
The required length of Si is determined by the total negative dispersion experienced by the mid-IR chirped pulse. We calculate the GDD and TOD induced in the stretching and amplification processes. A 187.1 mm long Si plate is needed to fully compensate the negative GDD imposed by the AOPDF and three LGN crystals. As both the Si plate and LGN crystal have positive TOD, they can impose a total TOD of
|
The 16.5 mJ amplified mid-IR pulse before and after compression by the Si block has peak powers of 7.9 and 137.5 GW, respectively. The averaged peak power in the Si block is approximately 72.7 GW. To control the total
4.4 Performance scalability
We have numerically demonstrated the generation of
The seven-cycle mid-IR pulses from OPCPA can be further compressed down to sub-three-cycle or even sub-cycle pulses by nonlinear compression methods. Filamentation-assisted supercontinuum generation followed by anomalous dispersion compensation has been used to nonlinearly compress the mid-IR pulse[
In addition to pulse shortening by nonlinear compression, the scaling of the peak power of mid-IR OPCPA ultimately relies on the available pump energy. The pulse energy of a commercial Yb:YAG thin-disk regenerative laser is currently a maximum of 200 mJ in the design, which may be further boosted up to Joule-level energy at the expense of cost[
Finally, we want to point out that the thermal effect has not been considered in our simulations due to the lack of temperature-dependent Sellmeier equations for LGN crystal. Because of the high transmittance of LGN to all the three interacting pulses, we expect that the thermal effect is not significant in our demonstrated OPCPA with a 16 W average power. With the increase of average power in the future, the thermal effect should be considered definitely[
5 Conclusion
In conclusion, we have proposed a design of a 0.13 TW, seven-cycle,
[1] W. Sibbett, A. A. Lagatsky, C. T. A. Brown. Opt. Express, 20, 6898(2012).
[2] J. Zhou, J. Peatross, M. M. Murnane, H. C. Kapteyn, I. P. Christov. Phys. Rev. Lett., 76, 752(1996).
[3] F. Krausz, M. Ivanov. Rev. Mod. Phys., 81, 163(2009).
[4] T. Tajima, J. M. Dawson. Phys. Rev. Lett., 43, 267(1979).
[5] M. D. Perry, G. Mourou. Science, 264, 917(1994).
[6] C. N. Danson, C. Haefner, J. Bromage, T. Butcher, J.-C. F. Chanteloup, E. A. Chowdhury, A. Galvanauskas, L. A. Gizzi, J. Hein, D. I. Hillier, N. W. Hopps, Y. Kato, E. A. Khazanov, R. Kodama, G. Korn, R. Li, Y. Li, J. Limpert, J. Ma, C. H. Nam, D. Neely, D. Papadopoulos, R. R. Penman, L. Qian, J. J. Rocca, A. A. Shaykin, C. Siders, C. Spindloe, S. Szatmári, R. M. G. M. Trines, J. Zhu, P. Zhu, J. D. Zuegel. High Power Laser Sci. Eng., 7, e54(2019).
[7] S. Nakamura, Y. Iwashita, A. Noda, T. Shirai, H. Tongu, A. Fukumi, M. Kado, A. Yogo, M. Mori, S. Orimo, K. Ogura, A. Sagisaka, M. Nishiuchi, Y. Hayashi, Z. Li, H. Daido, Y. Wada. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 45, 913(2006).
[8] I. V. Pogorelsky, V. Yakimenko, M. Polyanskiy, P. Shkolnikov, M. Ispiryan, D. Neely, P. McKenna, D. Carroll, Z. Najmudin, L. Willingale. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., 620, 67(2010).
[9] T. Popmintchev, M.-C. Chen, D. Popmintchev, P. Arpin, S. Brown, S. Ališauskas, G. Andriukaitis, T. Balčiunas, O. D. Mücke, A. Pugzlys, A. Baltuška, B. Shim, S. E. Schrauth, A. Gaeta, C. H-García, L. Plaja, A. Becker, A. J-Becker, M. M. Murnane, H. C. Kapteyn. Science, 336, 1287(2012).
[10] C. H. García, J. A. P. Hernández, T. Popmintchev, M. M. Murnane, H. C. Kapteyn, A. J. Becker, A. Becker, L. Plaja. Phys. Rev. Lett., 111, 033002(2013).
[11] S. Woutersen, U. Emmerichs, H. J. Bakker. Science, 278, 658(1997).
[12] D. Brida, M. Marangoni, C. Manzoni, S. De Silvestri, G. Cerullo. Opt. Lett., 33, 2901(2008).
[13] G. M. Archipovaite, S. Petit, J.-C. Delagnes, E. Cormier. Opt. Lett., 42, 891(2017).
[14] G. Fan, T. Balčiūnas, T. Kanai, T. Flöry, G. Andriukaitis, B. E. Schmidt, F. Légaré, A. Baltuška. Optica, 3, 1308(2016).
[15] S. B. Penwell, L. W. Mayda, A. Tokmakoff. Opt. Lett., 43, 1363(2018).
[16] S. Wandel, M.-W. Lin, Y. Yin, G. Xu, I. Jovanovic. Opt. Express, 24, 5287(2016).
[17] G. Andriukaitis, G. Ališauskas, A. Pugžlys, A. Baltuška, L. H. Tan, J. H. W. Lim, P. B. Phua, K. Balskus, A. Michailovas. CLEO(2012).
[18] H. Liang, P. Krogen, K. Zawilski, P. Schunemann, T. Lang, U. Morgner, F. X. Kärtner, J. Moses, K.-H. Hong. High-Brightness Sources and Light-Driven Interactions(2016).
[19] S. Wang, S. Dai, N. Jia, N. Zong, C. Li, Y. Shen, T. Yu, J. Qiao, Z. Gao, Q. Peng, Z. Xu, X. Tao. Opt. Lett., 42, 2098(2017).
[20] P. Krogen, H. Suchowski, H. Liang, N. Flemens, K.-H. Hong, F. X. Kärtner, J. Moses. Nat. Photon., 11, 222(2017).
[21] C. Erny, K. Moutzouris, J. Biegert, D. Kühlke, F. Adler, A. Leitenstorfer, U. Keller. Opt. Lett., 32, 1138(2007).
[22] F. Rotermund, V. Petrov, F. Noack. Opt. Commun., 185, 177(2000).
[23] A. Gambetta, N. Coluccelli, M. Cassinerio, D. Gatti, P. Laporta, G. Galzerano, M. Marangoni. Opt. Lett., 38, 1155(2013).
[24] T. Zentgraf, R. Huber, N. C. Nielsen, D. S. Chemla, R. A. Kaindl. Opt. Express, 15, 5775(2007).
[25] R. Huber, A. Brodschelm, F. Tauser, A. Leitenstorfer. Appl. Phys. Lett., 76, 3191(2000).
[26] R. A. Kaindl, D. C. Smith, M. Joschko, M. P. Hasselbeck, M. Woerner, T. Elsaesser. Opt. Lett., 23, 861(1998).
[27] I. Pupeza, D. Sánchez, J. Zhang, N. Lilienfein, M. Seidel, N. Karpowicz, T. P-Colberg, I. Znakovskaya, M. Pescher, W. Schweinberger, V. Pervak, E. Fill, O. Pronin, Z. Wei, F. Krausz, A. Apolonski, J. Biegert. Nat. Photon., 9, 721(2015).
[28] C. Gaida, M. Gebhardt, T. Heuermann, F. Stutzki, C. Jauregui, J. A-Lopez, A. Schülzgen, R. A-Correa, A. Tünnermann, L. Pupeza, J. Limpert. Light Sci. Appl., 7, 94(2018).
[29] S. Vasilyev, I. Moskalev, V. Smolski, J. Peppers, M. Mirov, A. Muraviev, K. Vodopyanov, S. Mirov, V. Gapontsev. Opt. Express, 27, 16405(2019).
[30] O. Novák, P. R. Krogen, T. Kroh, T. Mocek, F. X. Kärtner, K.-H. Hong. Opt. Lett., 43, 1335(2018).
[31] Y. Shamir, J. Rothhardt, S. Hädrich, S. Demmler, M. Tschernajew, J. Limpert, A. Tünnermann. Opt. Lett., 40, 5546(2015).
[32] Y. Deng, A. Schwarz, H. Fattahi, M. Ueffing, X. Gu, M. Ossiander, T. Metzger, V. Pervak, H. Ishizuki, T. Taira, T. Kobayashi, G. Marcus, F. Krausz, R. Kienberger, N. Karpowicz. Opt. Lett., 37, 4973(2012).
[33] K.-H. Hong, C-J. Lai, J. P. Siqueira, P. Krogen, J. Moses, C.-L. Chang, G. J. Stein, L. E. Zapata, F. X. Kärtner. Opt. Express, 19, 15538(2011).
[34] N. Thiré, R. Maksimenka, B. Kiss, C. Ferchaud, P. Bizouard, E. Cormier, K. Osvay, N. Forget. Opt. Express, 25, 1505(2017).
[35] U. Elu, M. Baudisch, H. Pires, F. Tani, M. H. Frosz, F. Köttig, A. Ermolov, P. St. J. Russell, J. Biegert. Optica, 4, 1024(2017).
[36] B. W. Mayer, C. R. Phillips, L. Gallmann, U. Keller. Opt. Express, 22, 20798(2014).
[37] K. Zhao, H. Zhong, P. Yuan, G. Xie, J. Wang, J. Ma, L. Qian. Opt. Lett., 38, 2159(2013).
[38] G. Andriukaitis, T. Balčiūnas, S. AliŠauskas, A. Pugžlys, A. BaltuŠka, T. Popmintchev, M.-C. Chen, M. M. Murnane, H. C. Kapteyn. Opt. Lett., 36, 2755(2011).
[39] P. Wang, Y. Li, W. Li, H. Su, B. Shao, S. Li, C. Wang, D. Wang, R. Zhao, Y. Peng, Y. Leng, R. Li, Z. Xu. Opt. Lett., 43, 2197(2018).
[40] L. Grafenstein, M. Bock, D. Ueberschaer, K. Zawilski, P. Schunemann, U. Griebner, T. Elsaesser. Opt. Lett., 42, 3796(2017).
[41] T. Kanai, P. Malevich, S. S. Kangaparambil, K. Ishida, M. Mizui, K. Yamanouchi, H. Hoogland, R. Holzwarth, A. Pugzlys, A. Baltuska. Opt. Lett., 42, 683(2017).
[42] U. Elu, T. Steinle, D. Sánchez, L. Maidment, K. Zawilski, P. Schunemann, U. D. Zeitner, C. S-Boisson, J. Biegert. Opt. Lett., 44, 3194(2019).
[43] S. Qu, H. Liang, K. Liu, X. Zou, W. Li, Q. J. Wang, Y. Zhang. Opt. Lett., 44, 2422(2019).
[44] K. T. Zawilski, P. G. Schunemann, S. D. Setzler, T. M. Pollak. J. Cryst. Growth, 310, 1891(2008).
[45] J. Ma, J. Wang, D. Hu, P. Yuan, G. Xie, H. Zhu, H. Yu, H. Zhang, J. Wang, L. Qian. Opt. Express, 24, 23957(2016).
[46] E. Boursier, G. M. Archipovaite, J.-C. Delagnes, S. Petit, G. Ernotte, P. Lassonde, P. Segonds, B. Boulanger, Y. Petit, F. Légaré, D. Roshchupkin, E. Cormier. Opt. Lett., 42, 3698(2017).
[47] F. Guo, D. Lu, P. Segonds, J. Debray, H. Yu, H. Zhang, J. Wang, B. Boulanger. Opt. Mat. Express, 8, 858(2018).
[48] D. Lu, T. Xu, H. Yu, Q. Fu, H. Zhang, P. Segonds, B. Boulanger, X. Zhang, J. Wang. Opt. Express, 24, 17603(2016).
[49] E. Boursier, P. Segonds, B. Boulanger, C. Félix, J. Debray, D. Jegouso, B. Ménaert, D. Roshchupkin, I. Shoji. Opt. Lett., 39, 4033(2014).
[50] B. Wolter, M. G. Pullen, M. Baudisch, M. Sclafani, M. Hemmer, A. Senftleben, C. D. Schröter, J. Ullrich, R. Moshammer, J. Biegert. Phys. Rev. X, 5, 021034(2015).
[51] H. Lan, F. Liang, X. Jiang, C. Zhang, H. Yu, Z. Liu, H. Zhang, J. Wang, Y. Wu. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 140, 4684(2018).
[52] A. Baltuška, T. Fuji, T. Kobayashi. Phys. Rev. Lett., 88, 133901(2002).
[53] B. C. Stuart, M. D. Feit, A. M. Rubenchik, B. W. Shore, M. D. Perry. Phys. Rev. Lett., 74, 2248(1995).
[54] J. Ma, P. Yuan, Y. Wang, H. Zhu, L. Qian. Opt. Commun., 285, 4531(2012).
[55] J. Ma, P. Yuan, J. Wang, G. Xie, H. Zhu, L. Qian. High Power Laser Sci. Eng., 6, e61(2018).
[56] A. Thai, C. Skrobol, P. K. Bates, G. Arisholm, Z. Major, F. Krausz, S. Karsch, J. Biegert. Opt. Lett., 15, 3471(2010).
[57] O. Mücke, D. Sidorov, P. Dombi, A. Pugzlys, A. Baltuska, S. Alisauskas, V. Smilgevicius, J. Pocius, L. Giniunas, R. Danielius, N. Forget. Opt. Lett., 34, 118(2009).
[58] G. Cerullo, S. D. Silvestri. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 74, 1(2003).
[59] J. Moses, S.-W. Huang, K.-H. Hong, O. D. Mücke, E. L. Falcão-Filho, A. Benedick, F. Ö. Ilday, A. Dergachev, J. A. Bolger, B. J. Eggleton, F. X. Kärtner. Opt. Lett., 34, 1639(2009).
[60] A. V. Mitrofanov, A. A. Voronin, D. A. Sidorov-Biryukov, S. I. Mitryukovsky, A. B. Fedotov, E. E. Serebryannikov, D. V. Meshchankin, V. Shumakova, S. Ališauskas, A. Pugžlys, V. Ya. Panchenko, A. Baltuška, A. M. Zheltikov. Optica, 3, 299(2016).
[61] F. Silva, D. R. Austin, A. Thai, M. Baudisch, M. Hemmer, D. Faccio, A. Couairon, J. Biegert. Nat. Commun., 3, 807(2012).
[62] V. Shumakova, P. Malevich, S. Ališauska, A. Voronin, A. M. Zheltikov, D. Faccio, D. Kartashov, A. Baltuška, A. Pugžlys. Nat. Commun., 7, 12877(2016).
[63] X. Liu, L. Qian, F. Wise. Opt. Lett., 24, 1777(1999).
[64] M. Bache, H. Guo, B. Zhou. Opt. Mat. Express, 3, 1647(2013).
[65] B. A. Reagan, C. Baumgarten, E. Jankowska, H. Chi, H. Bravo, K. Dehne, M. Pedicone, L. Yin, H. Wang, G. S. Menoni, J. R. Rocca. High Power Laser Sci. Eng., 6, e11(2018).
[66] Z. Lu, S. Kimbel. J. Cryst. Growth, 318, 193(2011).
[67] J. Rothhardt, S. Demmler, S. Hädrich, T. Peschel, J. Limpert, A. Tünnermann. Opt. Lett., 38, 763(2013).
Get Citation
Copy Citation Text
Jinsheng Liu, Jingui Ma, Jing Wang, Peng Yuan, Guoqiang Xie, Liejia Qian. Toward 5.2 μm terawatt few-cycle pulses via optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification with oxide La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14 crystals[J]. High Power Laser Science and Engineering, 2019, 7(4): 04000e61
Category: Research Articles
Received: May. 27, 2019
Accepted: Oct. 17, 2019
Published Online: Dec. 5, 2019
The Author Email: Jingui Ma (majg@sjtu.edu.cn)