Table-top high-energy 7  μm OPCPA and 260  mJ Ho:YLF pump laser

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Nonlinear Optics
• Ultrafast Science

Background:

• Compact, high-energy laser systems are crucial for advanced research.
• Mid-infrared (mid-IR) lasers offer unique capabilities for probing molecular and material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a state-of-the-art compact high-energy mid-infrared laser system.
• To achieve TW-level, eight-cycle pulses at 7 μm for applications in extreme photonics and coherent X-ray science.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an Er:Tm:Ho:fiber MOPA as a seeder for a ZGP-based optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) chain.
• Incorporated a Ho:YLF amplifier pumped by Tm:fiber and employed chirp inversion in the OPCPA chain.
• Achieved all-optical synchronization for precise pulse control.

Main Results:

• Generated TW-level, eight-cycle pulses at 7 μm with 0.75 mJ energy.
• Demonstrated pulse compression to 188 fs (eight optical cycles) with 93.5% efficiency in BaF₂.
• Achieved high harmonic generation up to order 13 in ZnSe, indicating excellent pulse quality and contrast.

Conclusions:

• The compact mid-IR laser system provides high-energy, ultrashort pulses essential for advanced scientific investigations.
• The system's capabilities in extreme photonics, strong field physics, and table-top coherent X-ray science are significantly enhanced.
• The combination of phase-stable mid-IR seed pulses and high-energy picosecond pump pulses makes this a key enabling tool for future research.