Investigation of temporal compression of few-cycle pulses from an ultrabroadband, multi-mJ optical parametric amplifier

Abstract

High-energy, ultrashort pulses in the few-cycle regime are of great interest as drivers of intense attosecond-pulse sources [1]. Noncollinear optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) is a promising technique to reach an ultrabroad amplification bandwidth and high pulse energies, simultaneously. Recently, in our laboratory a 3-stage OPCPA system delivering pulses with a bandwidth ranging from 670-1400 nm and a pulse energy of 1.8 mJ at 3 kHz repetition rate has been demonstrated [2]. This ultrabroadband amplified spectrum supports 4.3 fs pulses, with a central wavelength around 1 μτη. In this study we investigate the possibility of pulse compression by double-angle chirped mirrors [3]. © 2013 IEEE.