High-energy, kHz-rate, picosecond, 2-μm laser pump source for mid-IR nonlinear optical devices

Abstract

To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a 2-μm, Ho:YLF laser source based on a mode-locked oscillator/regenerative amplifier combination and a subsequent single-pass amplifier stage to produce picosecond pulse trains at 1-10 kHz rate with up to ~11 mJ of pulse energy. Further pulse energy scaling can be achieved through addition of single-pass amplifier(s). Availability of 2-μm, kHz-rate lasers providing 10-100-mJ, picosecond-scale pulses is critical for the development of short-pulse mid-IR nonlinear optical devices, in general, and for construction of femtosecond OPCPAs for high-harmonic generation and terahertz generation, in particular.