Advancing High-Power Hollow-Core Fiber Pulse Compression

Abstract

Ultrafast laser science witnesses a transformative change due to the introduction of robust, high repetition rate Yb based solid state lasers. We prove the ability of hollow-core fiber (HCF) post compression to keep pace with the constantly raising average powers and pulse energies provided by state-of-the-art lasers. Over a wide range of input parameters, HCFs can provide high transmissions in the 80%-90% range with greater than 10-fold compression. First, we describe a double stage HCF setup that compresses 80 W, 2 mJ, 338 fs pulses centered at 1030 nm down to sub-two optical cycles (6 fs FWHM) with 56 W output power. This 56-fold pulse compression is paired with an overall throughput of 70% and very good long term stability (1.5% StDev over 8 hours). Next, power scaling to 300 W with variable pulse energy and repetition rate (from 100 kHz, 3 mJ to 25 kHz, 12 mJ) is presented. We compressed 1.3 ps pulses of down to 100 fs in a single HCF at 300 W level. Finally, we reveal the potential of utilizing the ultrabroadband HCF output as a spectroscopy platform that can provide various, simultaneous outputs covering a wavelength range from 430 nm up to 12 μm.