Amplified femtosecond optical pulses and continuum generation at 5-kHz repetition rate

Abstract

Pulses of 90-fsec duration from a cavity-dumped colliding-pulse mode-locked laser have been amplified to microjoule energies at 5-kHz repetition rate using a copper-vapor-laser pump source. Near-diffraction-limited focusing and efficient femtosecond continuum generation are demonstrated.