Abstract

Sub-100-fs kHz-repetition-rate amplifiers combine the benefits of high peak powers with the possibility of using sensitive signal-averaging techniques. The technique of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) led to significant progress in the amplification of femtosecond pulses. Recent advances resulted in the generation of optical pulses of ≈30 fs duration at the TW level at a repetition rate of 10 Hz.^1,2 At kHz repetition rates μJ-energy 30-fs (Ref. [3]) and 0.9-mJ 21-fs pulses⁴ have recently been reported. Both results have been achieved by using complex and lossy grating-based pulse stretching systems. In this contribution we report for what we believe is the first time on the generation of sub-mJ-energy femtosecond pulses without using a pulse stretcher.

© 1996 IEEE