Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers: Characterization and control

Marc Nantel; Jiro Itatani; An Chun Tien; Jérôme Faure; Daniel Kaplan; Marcel Bouvier; Takashi Buma; Paul Van Rompay; John Nees; Peter P. Pronko; Donald Umstadter; Gérard A. Mourou

doi:10.1109/2944.686755

Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers: Characterization and control

Marc Nantel, Jiro Itatani, An Chun Tien, Jérôme Faure, Daniel Kaplan, Marcel Bouvier, Takashi Buma, Paul Van Rompay, John Nees, Peter P. Pronko, Donald Umstadter, Gérard A. Mourou

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

86 Scopus citations

Abstract

As ultrafast lasers achieve ever higher focused intensities on target, the problem of ensuring a clean laser-solid interaction becomes more pressing. In this paper, we give concrete examples of the deleterious effects of low-contrast interactions, and address the problem of subpicosecond laser intensity contrast ratio on both characterization and control fronts. We present the new technique of high-dynamic-range plasma-shuttered streak camera contrast measurement, as well as two efficient and relatively inexpensive ways of improving the contrast of short pulse lasers without sacrificing on the output energy: a double-pass Pockels cell (PC), and clean high-energy-pulse seeding of the regenerative amplifier.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	449-458
Number of pages	10
Journal	IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics
Volume	4
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/2944.686755
State	Published - Mar 1998
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Amplified spontaneous emission
Chirped-pulse amplification
Intensity contrast ratio
Pulse cleaning
Terawatt lasers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers : Characterization and control. / Nantel, Marc; Itatani, Jiro; Tien, An Chun; Faure, Jérôme; Kaplan, Daniel; Bouvier, Marcel; Buma, Takashi; Van Rompay, Paul; Nees, John; Pronko, Peter P.; Umstadter, Donald; Mourou, Gérard A.

In: IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 4, No. 2, 03.1998, p. 449-458.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Nantel, Marc ; Itatani, Jiro ; Tien, An Chun ; Faure, Jérôme ; Kaplan, Daniel ; Bouvier, Marcel ; Buma, Takashi ; Van Rompay, Paul ; Nees, John ; Pronko, Peter P. ; Umstadter, Donald ; Mourou, Gérard A. / Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers : Characterization and control. In: IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 1998 ; Vol. 4, No. 2. pp. 449-458.

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abstract = "As ultrafast lasers achieve ever higher focused intensities on target, the problem of ensuring a clean laser-solid interaction becomes more pressing. In this paper, we give concrete examples of the deleterious effects of low-contrast interactions, and address the problem of subpicosecond laser intensity contrast ratio on both characterization and control fronts. We present the new technique of high-dynamic-range plasma-shuttered streak camera contrast measurement, as well as two efficient and relatively inexpensive ways of improving the contrast of short pulse lasers without sacrificing on the output energy: a double-pass Pockels cell (PC), and clean high-energy-pulse seeding of the regenerative amplifier.",

keywords = "Amplified spontaneous emission, Chirped-pulse amplification, Intensity contrast ratio, Pulse cleaning, Terawatt lasers",

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note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received October 20, 1997; revised March 2, 1998. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science under Grant STC PHY 8 920 108, by the Department of Energy under Contract DE-FG02-96ER14685, and by the U.S. Air Force under Contract F49620-95-1-0474. The work of J. Itatani was supported by IMRA, America Inc. The work of M. Nantel was supported in part by the FCAR fund.",

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AU - Kaplan, Daniel

AU - Bouvier, Marcel

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AU - Van Rompay, Paul

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AU - Pronko, Peter P.

AU - Umstadter, Donald

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N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received October 20, 1997; revised March 2, 1998. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science under Grant STC PHY 8 920 108, by the Department of Energy under Contract DE-FG02-96ER14685, and by the U.S. Air Force under Contract F49620-95-1-0474. The work of J. Itatani was supported by IMRA, America Inc. The work of M. Nantel was supported in part by the FCAR fund.

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N2 - As ultrafast lasers achieve ever higher focused intensities on target, the problem of ensuring a clean laser-solid interaction becomes more pressing. In this paper, we give concrete examples of the deleterious effects of low-contrast interactions, and address the problem of subpicosecond laser intensity contrast ratio on both characterization and control fronts. We present the new technique of high-dynamic-range plasma-shuttered streak camera contrast measurement, as well as two efficient and relatively inexpensive ways of improving the contrast of short pulse lasers without sacrificing on the output energy: a double-pass Pockels cell (PC), and clean high-energy-pulse seeding of the regenerative amplifier.

AB - As ultrafast lasers achieve ever higher focused intensities on target, the problem of ensuring a clean laser-solid interaction becomes more pressing. In this paper, we give concrete examples of the deleterious effects of low-contrast interactions, and address the problem of subpicosecond laser intensity contrast ratio on both characterization and control fronts. We present the new technique of high-dynamic-range plasma-shuttered streak camera contrast measurement, as well as two efficient and relatively inexpensive ways of improving the contrast of short pulse lasers without sacrificing on the output energy: a double-pass Pockels cell (PC), and clean high-energy-pulse seeding of the regenerative amplifier.

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Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers: Characterization and control

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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