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Simple Yb:YAG femtosecond booster amplifier using divided-pulse amplification
Optics Express
|May 4, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a hybrid laser system to boost femtosecond fiber amplifier energy. This Ytterbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Yb:YAG) crystal system achieved 3 mJ pulse energy, a significant advancement for high-power laser applications.
Area of Science:
- Laser Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- High-power femtosecond fiber lasers are crucial for various applications.
- Scaling output pulse energy from fiber amplifiers is a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To significantly increase the output pulse energy of a state-of-the-art industrial high-power femtosecond fiber system.
- To explore a hybrid-system approach using a Yb:YAG single crystal booster amplifier.
Main Methods:
- A hybrid system combining a femtosecond fiber laser with a Yb:YAG booster amplifier was investigated.
- Passive divided-pulse amplification was implemented to further scale pulse energy.
Main Results:
- An average power of over 60 W was demonstrated at 100 kHz with 600 µJ pulse energy (400 fs duration).
- Pulse energy was increased to 2.5 mJ (before compression) by reducing the repetition rate, limited by optical coating damage thresholds.
- Passive divided-pulse amplification enabled safe operation at 3 mJ (before compression) and 2.3 mJ (after compression) with 520 fs pulse duration, yielding 4.4 GW peak power.
Conclusions:
- The hybrid Yb:YAG booster amplifier system effectively scales femtosecond fiber laser pulse energy.
- Passive divided-pulse amplification is a viable strategy for achieving multi-millijoule pulse energies and gigawatt peak powers.
