Pulse compression of a high-power thin disk laser using rod-type fiber amplifiers

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Nonlinear optics
• Fiber optics

Background:

• High-power thin disk lasers are crucial for various applications.
• Achieving ultrashort pulses with high average power requires efficient pulse compression techniques.
• Fiber amplifiers offer a scalable solution for power amplification in laser systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and investigate two pulse compressor systems for a high-power thin disk laser oscillator.
• To explore the trade-offs between pulse duration, average power, damage, and complexity using different fiber parameters.
• To demonstrate high peak powers and analyze power scaling limitations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing two distinct Yb-doped rod-type fiber amplifier setups seeded by a SESAM modelocked thin disk laser.
• Employing different fiber core areas (2200 μm² and 4500 μm²) and lengths (55 cm and 36 cm).
• Operating in a stretcher-free configuration for one system to achieve shorter pulse durations.

Main Results:

• The first system achieved 55 W compressed average power with 98-fs pulses.
• The second system delivered 34 W compressed average power with 65-fs pulses in a stretcher-free configuration.
• Both systems demonstrated peak powers exceeding 30 MW at several μJ pulse energies.

Conclusions:

• Fiber amplifiers are effective for pulse compression in high-power thin disk laser systems.
• Different fiber configurations offer distinct trade-offs for optimizing pulse characteristics and power output.
• Damage and self-focusing are identified as key limitations for further power scaling.