光纤激光器光参量啁啾脉冲放大现象

实验研究了采用信号光在一块非线性晶体内被同一束泵浦光放大两次的结构来实现光参量啁啾脉冲放大过程中对参量荧光的控制,实验得到了2×106的双通总增益,输出总能量为2 mJ,信号光能量晃动小于3％ rms,此时参量荧光仅占输出总能量的1％.采用这种放大结构,提高了短信号光与长泵浦光在时域上的匹配和转换效率,抑制了参量荧光,并提高了放大信号光的能量稳定性.     

高效三通光参量啁啾脉冲放大器

为了提高信号光与抽运光在时域上的匹配,提高放大系统的增益,提出了三通光参量啁啾脉冲放大的方法。实验中,信号光在一块晶体内被一抽运光在完全相位匹配的条件下放大了三次,总放大增益为3.7×107,能量晃动小于3%rms,放大后的信号光谱宽为30nm,压缩后的信号光脉宽为82fs。实验结果表明:采用三通光参量啁啾脉冲放大方法,有效地抑制了放大过程中参量荧光对放大过程的影响,在抽运光强为350MW/cm2时,参量荧光仅占输出总能量的1%。     

基于Ti∶sapphire振荡源的光参量啁啾脉冲放大器

以钛宝石飞秒振荡源作为种子源,在二级放大器中,采用种子光被同一束抽运光在有效非线性系数最大的平面内放大两次的双通光参量放大结构,实现高增益光参量啁啾脉冲放大.实验得到了3×107的总增益,信号光输出能量为3 mJ,能量晃动小于3%rms,此时参量荧光仅占输出总能量的1%.实验结果表明,采用这种放大系统,提高了信号光与抽运光在时域上的匹配,有效地抑制了参量放大过程中参量荧光的产生,同时提高了系统的稳定性.     

基于自发参量下转换产生参量荧光的光谱分布特性理论分析

采用放大传递函数理论模拟和分析了基于自发参量下转换产生参量荧光的光谱分布特性,结果表明：非简并态下随着相位匹配角的增大,参量荧光空间强度角分布呈现变大趋势,而整个荧光光谱成分的分布逐渐倾向于连续的弱分布状态.对于简并态附近出现荧光光谱具有宽带宽集中分布的特征,采用两种不同的抽运光脉冲进行了对比分析,并且对此特征关于相位匹配角变化的敏感特性,采用放大传递函数和光谱成分概率分布函数两种不同理论的模拟结果一致. 关键词： 参量下转换 参量荧光     

基于光束偏转的扫描式宽带光参量啁啾脉冲放大

光参量啁啾脉冲放大(OPCPA)是超短激光脉冲领域的重要技术之一,增大增益带宽对提高OPCPA的转换效率、实现宽带光参量放大具有重要的意义.本文将光束偏转和非共线OPCPA有机结合,提出了基于光束偏转的扫描式宽带OPCPA模型.分析了通过光束偏转来时刻改变非共线角,以保证各频率成分的相位匹配,从而增大增益带宽的基本原理.采用提出的扫描式宽带OPCPA,针对800 nm中心波长、带宽约为100 nm信号光的光参量放大进行了数值计算.结果表明:经过扫描式OPCPA后,信号光的带宽与放大之前几乎相同,光谱没有窄化;扫描式OPCPA比固定非共线角方式的放大极大地增加了增益带宽和转换效率,实现了宽带的光参量放大;要满足信号光各频率成分的相位匹配,达到最大的增益带宽和转换效率,需要尽量减小加载到钽铌酸钾(KTa_(1-x) Nb_xO_3, KTN)电光晶体上的电压抖动和电压延时.     

近红外波段宽带时间低相干光参量放大技术

在激光驱动惯性约束核聚变研究中,具有宽带、低相干特性的时间低相干光源将有望降低激光与等离子体相互作用的不稳定性,成为新一代激光驱动装置的有力竞争者。实现高功率低相干光放大输出是低相干光驱动器能否应用于惯性约束聚变领域的核心。光参量放大具有大带宽、高增益、无热效应等优势,可避免能级型放大介质的光谱窄化问题,是实现宽带低相干光放大的有效方案。系统阐述了宽带时间低相干光参量放大技术的原理和技术特性,并基于实验验证了采用非共线相位匹配的近红外波段宽带时间低相干光级联参量放大过程,最终实现7×10⁷的放大增益和13.19%的转换效率。     

高质量高效率高稳定性参量放大光产生的研究

针对光参量放大实验中存在的参量转换效率低、输出光脉冲形状畸变和输出稳定性差等问题进行了详细研究，对注入信号光强、抽运光耗尽、增益饱和、和频过程等因素对参量过程的影响进行了详细分析讨论，并进行了光学参量放大的实验研究.理论和实验研究结果表明通过优化选择合适的注入信号光强、抽运光强和晶体长度等参数，使参量放大运行在深度增益饱和状态的稳定区，完全可以获得高质量高效率高稳定性的参量放大输出光. 关键词： 光参量放大 抽运光耗尽 增益饱和 稳定性     

光参量过程中的逆转换问题

逆转换是影响光参量变换转换效率、参量光光束质量以及参量光输出稳定性的关键因素,随光斑分布和时间变化,逆转换现象很难消除.文中分析了光参量变换过程中的逆转换问题,研究了影响逆转换的关键因素.分析得出,适当的晶体长度、优化的抽运光斑截面类型、合适的谐振腔参数(对于振荡器)有利于降低逆转换,提高参量转换效率,改善参量光光束质量.根据理论分析结果,设计了脉冲砷酸钛氧钾(KTA)光参量振荡器,实验获得了270 mJ信号光和150 mJ闲频光输出,有效地抑制了逆转换的影响,参量转化效率达到了43%. 关键词： 逆转换 光参量放大 光参量振荡     

高重复频率高效率光参量啁啾脉冲放大研究

准相位匹配晶体在光参量放大过程具有更大的有效非线性系数,数值分析显示在光参量前级放大过程中就能够提供6.2×106的高增益饱和放大,参量转换效率大于25%,并基于准相位匹配的参量增益特性给出了一个全二极管激光器泵浦的亚TW级高重复频率OPCPA系统的优化设计.     

基于单晶体的可调谐参量超荧光的产生

研究了一种基于单晶体的可调谐超荧光产生机理，在一个偏硼酸钡(BBO)晶体中实现了飞秒脉冲倍频过程和光参量产生过程.实验中采用kHz高功率钛宝石激光系统输出的飞秒脉冲光倍频后的蓝光作为抽运光，获得了可调谐范围为480—530 nm参量超荧光光谱输出.理论上分析了这种超荧光产生机理，并利用放大传递函数模拟出参量超荧光环的产生过程.结果表明，在一个BBO晶体中，当抽运光源输出光入射晶体角度同时满足倍频相位匹配角和非共线光参量产生相位匹配角时可产生参量超荧光环，通过微调相位匹配角可控制参量超荧光光谱调谐输出.该理论和实验研究为控制参量超荧光和量子纠缠态的产生提供了理论依据，对于量子成像和量子通讯等领域的发展具有重要意义.     

Demonstration of highly efficient broadband amplification in a optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier system

We have demonstrated highly efficient broadband amplification by an optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier (OPCPA) system that uses high energy seed pulses. The OPCPA consists of three type I B-barium borate (BBO) crystals pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. We successfully amplified the microjoule level seed pulses to 78 mJ with a pump-to-signal optical conversion efficiency of 26% at a 10 Hz repetition rate. To our knowledge these results represent the most optically efficient OPCPA to date pumped by a typical Q-switched laser.     

High-conversion-efficiency optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system using spatiotemporally shaped pump pulses

High-conversion-efficiency, high-stability optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification is demonstrated with a spatiotemporally shaped pump laser system. Broadband 5-mJ pulses are produced at a 5-Hz repetition rate with a pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 29% and energy stability better than 2% rms. To our knowledge this is the highest conversion efficiency and stability achieved in an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system.     

Hybrid chirped-pulse amplification

Conversion efficiency in optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification is limited by spatiotemporal characteristics of the pump pulse. We have demonstrated a novel hybrid chirped-pulse amplification scheme that uses a single pump pulse and combines optical parametric amplification and laser amplification to achieve high gain, high conversion efficiency, and high prepulse contrast without utilization of electro-optic modulators. We achieved an overall conversion efficiency of 37% from the hybrid amplification system at a center wavelength of 820nm. Generation of multiterawatt pulses is possible by use of this simple method and commercial Q -switched pump lasers.     

Trends in ultrashort and ultrahigh power laser pulses based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

Since the proof-of-principle demonstration of optical parametric amplification to efficiently amplify chirped laser pulses in 1992,optical parametric chirped pulse amplification(OPCPA)became the most promising method for the amplification of broadband optical pulses.In the meantime,we are witnessing an exciting progress in the development of powerful and ultrashort pulse laser systems that employ chirped pulse parametric amplifiers.The output power and pulse duration of these systems have ranged from a few gigawatts to hundreds of terawatts with a potential of tens of petawatts power level.Meanwhile,the output pulse duration based on optical parametric amplification has entered the range of fewoptical-cycle field.In this paper,we overview the basic principles,trends in development,and current state of the ultrashort and laser systems based on OPCPA,respectively.     

Prospects for increasing average power of optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers via multi-beam pumping

We demonstrate optical parametric amplification of broadband chirped pulses in BBO crystal pumped by several intersecting beams extracted from independent laser amplifiers. The energy of amplified signal ranged from 0.23 to 0.72 mJ depending on a number of pump beams used as well as pumping configuration employed. The conversion efficiency dependence on intersection angles of pump beams is revealed and modeling of interplay of interacting waves is presented.     

Development of a high-contrast,high-peak power,Ti:Sapphire/OPCPA laser system

We report on a high-contrast, high-peak power laser system, which combines both conventional laser amplification and optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) techniques. By employing an OPCPA system after a regenerative amplifier, we have enhanced the prepulse contrast by six orders of magnitude. A prepulse contrast of better than 4.4 × 10^?11 has been measured with a high-energy broadband pulse of 24 mJ at a 10 Hz repetition rate from the OPCPA system. With a subsequent four-pass Ti:sapphire amplifier, we have achieved an amplified energy of 279 mJ and an ultrashort recompressed amplified pulse duration of 23.5 fs. We also discuss the basic design aspects and present our preliminary experimental investigations for higher energy operation to a multijoule.     

Efficiency-enhanced picosecond mid-infrared optical parametric downconversion based on a cascaded optical superlattice

We demonstrate an efficiency-enhanced picosecond(ps) mid-infrared radiation via optical parametric downconversion. Based on a ceiscaded periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate crystal(MgO:sPPLT), a tandem optical parametric oscillation-optical parametric amplification(OPO-OPA) process is achieved. Compared with a single OPO process, the conversion efficiency obtains an enhancement of 71%.     

Shaping of picosecond pulses for pumping optical parametric amplification

The use of temporally shaped pump pulses for optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification can increase the efficiency and suppress possible spectral distortions in this process. With this goal in mind a novel method for shaping narrowband picosecond pulses has been developed. The method is based on the pulse stacking principle, where replicas of the incoming pulse are created in a specially designed four-beam interferometer. The replicas are recombined with appropriate relative delays. The interferometer design allows for a unique flexibility in varying the pulse shape, since all relevant degrees of freedom, such as relative intensities and delays between the pulse replicas are independently adjustable. Here we describe the design of our device in detail and report on the experimental demonstration of its pulse-shaping capabilities. PACS 42.65.Yj; 42.65.Re; 42.81.Gs     

35 J broadband femtosecond optical parametric chirped pulse amplification system

We report on what is believed to be the first large-aperture and high-energy optical parametric chirped pulse amplification system. The system, based on a three-stage amplifier, shows 25% pump-to-signal conversion efficiency and amplification of the full 70 nm width of the seed spectrum. Pulse compression to 84 fs achieved after amplification indicates a potential of 300 TW pulse power for 35 J amplified pulse energy.