310 mJ, 1 kHz, 700 fs for 1030 nm thin-disk regenerative amplifier

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• High-Power Lasers
• Ultrafast Optics

Background:

• Regenerative amplifiers are crucial for generating high-energy ultrashort laser pulses.
• Thin-disk laser technology offers advantages in thermal management and scalability for high-power systems.
• Ytterbium-doped gain media are widely used for their efficient operation in the near-infrared spectrum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Dira 300-1 series, a new generation of ytterbium-doped thin-disk regenerative amplifiers.
• To characterize the performance of these amplifiers in terms of energy, stability, pulse duration, and beam quality.
• To highlight the system's operational features, including repetition rates, synchronization, and warm-up time.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a thin-disk regenerative amplifier architecture.
• Employing diode-pumped ytterbium-doped active mirrors for energy maximization.
• Configuring the system for variable repetition rates (1-3 kHz) and measuring compressed pulse energy.
• Assessing pulse-to-pulse energy stability, pulse duration, and beam quality (M²).

Main Results:

• The Dira 300-1 series delivers high pulse energies (up to 310 mJ at 1 kHz) after compression.
• Excellent pulse-to-pulse energy stability (< 1% rms) is maintained across all repetition rates.
• Ultrashort pulse durations (< 700 fs) and high beam quality (M² < 1.4) are achieved.
• The system demonstrates a rapid warm-up time (< 20 minutes) and external-trigger synchronization.

Conclusions:

• The Dira 300-1 series represents a significant advancement in ytterbium-doped thin-disk regenerative amplifier technology.
• These amplifiers are capable of delivering high-energy, stable, and ultrashort laser pulses with excellent beam quality.
• The system's turn-key operation and fast warm-up make it suitable for demanding, hands-off experimental applications.