A Yb:KGW dual-crystal regenerative amplifier. (2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Huijun; Yu, Jun; Zhu, Wentao; Guo, Xiaoyang; Zhou, Cangtao; Ruan, Shuangchen
• Is Part Of: High power laser science and engineering. Volume 8(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020
• Subjects: ultrafast laser, -- regenerative amplifier, -- thermal lensing effect compensation; High power lasers -- Periodicals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2020.26
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2095-4719

Abstract

Abstract: This study develops a Yb:KGW dual-crystal based regenerative amplifier. The thermal lensing and gain-narrowing effects are compensated by the dual-crystal configuration. Sub-nanojoule pulses are amplified to 1.5 mJ with 9 nm spectral bandwidth and 1 kHz repetition rate using chirped pulse amplification technology. Consequently, 1.2 mJ pulses with a pulse duration of 227 fs are obtained after compression. Thanks to the cavity design, the output laser was a near diffraction limited beam with M 2 around 1.1. The amplifier has the potential to boost energy above 2 mJ after compression and act as a front end for a future kilohertz terawatt-class diode-pumped Yb:KGW laser system.