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

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
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
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 1998
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

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

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10.1109/2944.686755

Cite this

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title = "Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers: Characterization and control",

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",

author = "Marc Nantel and Jiro Itatani and Tien, \{An Chun\} and J{\'e}r{\^o}me Faure and Daniel Kaplan and Marcel Bouvier and Takashi Buma and \{Van Rompay\}, Paul and John Nees and Pronko, \{Peter P.\} and Donald Umstadter and Mourou, \{G{\'e}rard A.\}",

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doi = "10.1109/2944.686755",

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journal = "IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers

T2 - Characterization and control

AU - Nantel, Marc

AU - Itatani, Jiro

AU - Tien, An Chun

AU - Faure, Jérôme

AU - Kaplan, Daniel

AU - Bouvier, Marcel

AU - Buma, Takashi

AU - Van Rompay, Paul

AU - Nees, John

AU - Pronko, Peter P.

AU - Umstadter, Donald

AU - Mourou, Gérard A.

PY - 1998/3/1

Y1 - 1998/3/1

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.

KW - Amplified spontaneous emission

KW - Chirped-pulse amplification

KW - Intensity contrast ratio

KW - Pulse cleaning

KW - Terawatt lasers

U2 - 10.1109/2944.686755

DO - 10.1109/2944.686755

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JO - IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

JF - IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

IS - 2

ER -

Temporal contrast in Ti:sapphire lasers: Characterization and control

Abstract

Keywords

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