Title :
Few-optical-cycle pulses in the near-IR from a non-collinear optical parametric amplifier
Author :
Cirmi, G. ; Brida, D. ; Manzoni, C. ; Marangoni, M. ; De Silvestri, S. ; Cerullo, G.
Author_Institution :
Politecnico di Milano, Milan
Abstract :
In this paper we show that for periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate (PPSLT) and several other crystals (LiIO3, KNbO3, LiNbO3) the group velocity of the idler in a FF-pumped OPA is higher than that of the signal, allowing for ultrabroadband non-collinear amplification in the near-IR. We present a near-IR NOPA based on PPSLT pumped at 785 nm by an amplified Ti:sapphire laser. The NOPA generates ultrabroad spectra spanning from 1.1 to 1.7 mum; preliminary pulse compression experiments on a limited spectral portion produced nearly transform-limited 16-fs pulses. It is concluded that the near-IR NOPA will find application both in time resolved spectroscopy with extreme resolution and, with suitable energy scaling, in high-field physics.
Keywords :
laser beams; lithium compounds; optical parametric amplifiers; optical pulse compression; time resolved spectroscopy; LiTaO3; amplified Ti:sapphire laser; energy scaling; high-field physics; near-IR amplifier; noncollinear optical parametric amplifier; periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate; time 16 fs; time resolved spectroscopy; transform-limited pulses; ultrabroadband noncollinear amplification; wavelength 1.1 mum to 1.7 mum; wavelength 785 nm; Energy resolution; Nonlinear optics; Optical amplifiers; Optical pulse compression; Optical pulses; Optical pumping; Pulse amplifiers; Pulse compression methods; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2007 and the International Quantum Electronics Conference. CLEOE-IQEC 2007. European Conference on
Conference_Location :
Munich
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-0931-0
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-0931-0
DOI :
10.1109/CLEOE-IQEC.2007.4386300