175 W average power from a single-core rod fiber-based chirped-pulse-amplification system

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Fiber lasers offer advantages in beam quality and robustness.
• Chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) is crucial for generating high-energy ultrashort pulses.
• High-power fiber-based CPA systems are essential for various scientific and industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a high-power, fiber-based chirped-pulse amplification laser system.
• To achieve ultrashort pulse durations with high average power and pulse energy.
• To evaluate the beam quality and long-term operational stability of the laser system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a fiber-based chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) architecture.
• Employed bulk transmission grating for pulse compression.
• Incorporated a single-mode photonic crystal rod-type ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier.
• Conducted long-term stability tests exceeding 4000 hours.

Main Results:

• Achieved a compressed pulse duration of 357 femtoseconds (fs).
• Delivered an average power of 175 W and a pulse energy of 233 microjoules (µJ).
• Obtained a beam quality factor M² of 1.21.
• Demonstrated continuous operation for over 4000 hours without transverse mode instability.

Conclusions:

• The developed fiber-based CPA laser system provides high average power and ultrashort pulses.
• The system exhibits excellent beam quality and remarkable long-term operational stability.
• This technology is suitable for demanding scientific and industrial applications requiring high-energy ultrashort laser pulses.