Generation of a high-energy ultrawideband chirped source in periodically poled LiTaO3

Abstract

A method for generation of a chirped, ultrawideband infrared source by use of optical parametric generation in periodically poled crystals and pumped by a chirped Ti:sapphire laser is described. A ∼35% bandwidth in the idler branch was demonstrated in a periodically poled LiTaO3 crystal pumped by a chirped Ti:sapphire laser with 2.1% bandwidth. Optical parametric generation and optical parametric amplification configuration allowed us to generate up to a ∼250-µJ chirped pulse from 2.1 to 3 µm.