Optical Parametric Amplification of Mid-Infrared Few-Cycle Pulses

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates optical parametric amplification of mid-infrared few-cycle pulses using Ti:Sapphire pumping, achieving significant spectral and energy amplification with potential for further enhancement and pulse compression.

Contribution

It presents the first experimental demonstration of CEP-stabilized mid-infrared few-cycle pulse amplification in BBO crystals with notable amplification factors.

Findings

3.5x spectral amplification from 100μJ to 350μJ

Octave spanning spectrum from 1.1 to 2.4 μm

Potential to reach 4.25mJ energy and 7.3fs pulse duration

Abstract

We describe Ti:Sapphire pumped optical parametric amplification of carrier-envelope phase stabilized few-cycle ($<10$fs) mid-infrared pulses in type I $\beta$-barium borate. Experimental measurements show a $\times3.5$ amplification factor (from 100$\mu$J to 350$\mu$J) of the octave spanning spectrum ($1.1-2.4$$\mu$m) using a pump beam with 2.3mJ energy, 30fs duration and central wavelength of 800nm, corresponding to an energy extraction efficiency of $11\%$. Numerical simulations suggest potential amplification to 4.25mJ energy and temporal compression to a pulse duration of 7.3fs is possible with a pump energy of 30mJ and duration of 30fs in a 25mm diameter, 1.5mm thick BBO crystal.