35 kW subpicosecond pulse generation at 1.55 /spl mu/m using Er/sup 3+//Yb/sup 3+/ fiber amplifier

Summary form only given. The chirped pulse amplification (CPA) technique in free space transmission systems permits the amplification of ultrashort pulses with high peak powers while preserving pulse bandwidth. Hovewer, the propagation of ultrashort pulses in fiber amplifiers can generate severe distortions due to a combination of the self phase modulation (SPM) and the group velocity dispersion (GVD). We have demonstrated amplification of ultrashort pulse at 1.55 /spl mu/m to high peak power levels in a novel CPA without spectral and temporal distortion.We have shown that the available maximum peak power is limited by the combination of SPM in the fiber amplifier and uncompensated higher order dispersion effects.