Near-PHz-bandwidth, phase-stable continua generated from a Yb:YAG thin-disk amplifier

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics and Photonics
• Ultrafast Optics
• Nonlinear Optics

Background:

• Picosecond Yb:YAG regenerative amplifiers produce pulses with randomly varying carrier-envelope phase (CEP).
• Generating spectrally broad, phase-stable light is crucial for advanced laser applications.
• Previous methods often require active timing synchronization, adding complexity and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate a multi-octave, phase-stable spectral continuum from a Yb:YAG regenerative amplifier.
• To develop a robust and cost-effective light source for seeding broadband parametric amplifiers and synthesizers.
• To eliminate the need for active timing synchronization in such systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Yb:YAG regenerative amplifier delivering 1-picosecond pulses.
• Leveraged the inherent phase stability of the amplifier output to generate a broadband continuum.
• Characterized the spectral span and energy of the generated light.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated a phase-stable spectral continuum spanning 450 nm to over 2500 nm (0.6 PHz).
• The continuum light has an energy of 4 μJ, with potential for scaling.
• The system is intrinsically CEP-stable, removing the need for active synchronization.

Conclusions:

• The presented approach provides a reliable and cost-effective method for generating phase-stable, multi-octave spectral continua.
• This technology is well-suited for seeding advanced laser systems, including broadband parametric amplifiers and multichannel synthesizers.
• Paves the way for high-power, all-Yb:YAG single-cycle sources with terawatt peak power and tens of watts average power.