Measurement of non-compensated angular dispersion and the subsequent temporal lengthening of femtosecond pulses in a CPA laser

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 248; no. 1-3; pp. 201 - 209
• Main Authors: Osvay, K., Kovács, A.P., Kurdi, G., Heiner, Z., Divall, M., Klebniczki, J., Ferincz, I.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Chirping; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); High intensity lasers; Nonlinear optics; Optics; Physics; Pulse compression; Ultrafast lasers; Ultrafast processes; optical pulse generation and pulse compression; Ultrafast lasers; High intensity lasers; Pulse compression; Chirping; 42.65.Re; High-power lasers; Chirp pulse; Experimental device; Experimental study; Ultrafast optics; Pulsed lasers; Ultrashort pulse; Optical dispersion; 42.65.Re Ultrafast lasers; fs range; Optical amplification; Nonlinear optics
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2004.11.099

Closed analytical formulae are given for the residual angular dispersion resulted from the non-parallel surfaces of both a grating pair and a prism pair pulse compressor. Accurate measurements of the angular dispersion of pulses leaving the misaligned pulse compressors agree well with the first principle simulation curves. The corresponding lengthening of the transform limited 18 fs pulses was also determined. Finally, it is experimentally proved that by simultaneous monitoring of angular dispersion and pulse duration, the stretcher–compressor system of a chirped pulse amplification laser can be aligned very precisely.