Compact directly diode-pumped femtosecond Nd:glass chirped-pulse-amplification laser system

An all-solid-state longitudinally diode-pumped Nd:glass chirped-pulse-amplification laser system producing pulses of 50-MW peak power has been developed. The diode-pumped Nd:glass regenerative amplifier produces pulses with energies as great as 56microJ at a 1-kHz repetition rate and pulse durations as short as 450 fs after compression in a compact single holographic-transmission-grating stretcher-compressor arrangement. Further, spectral gain shaping was shown to extend the bandwidth that was supported in the low-gain amplifier. To the best of our knowledge, this system provides the highest peak and average power obtained from a directly diode-pumped femtosecond laser.