Laser system with nonlinear compression

US8948219B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. · DE
• Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena · DE

Inventors

• Dirk Nodop · Jena, DE
• Alexander Steinmetz · Bietigheim-Bissingen, DE
• Jens Limpert · Jena, DE
• Andreas Tuennermann · Jena, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 2011
• Grant date: Feb 3, 2015
• Expiry date: Apr 13, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1618
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a laser system with a passively Q-switched laser 1, a spectrally widening element 3, and a compression element 4. Laser systems of this kind are utilized for generating ultra-short laser pulses. Systems, mode-coupled solid-state lasers known from prior art allow for generating laser pulses in the sub-10 ps range only with complicated and alignment-sensitive free-beam arrangements. Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to create a laser system that generates pulse durations of less than 10 ps and which is simple and compact to produce at the same time. In order to achieve this object, the present invention proposes that the passively Q-switched laser 1 is provided with a longitudinally monomode output radiation which is spectrally widened by means of the spectrally widening element 3 by self-phase modulation and is temporally compressed by the compression element 4.