Abstract

In this paper we describe the development and characterization of an intense continously tunable 20fs source in the region between 370nm and 420nm using high-power frequency doubled pulses from a newly developed short pulse 32fs 1kHz Ti:sapphire laser system. For the first time we demonstrate the feasibility of the generation of 20fs pulses with energies up to 20μJ in this spectral region. These pulse energies are orders of magnitude higher than achieved with previously reported approaches in the same wavelength range.

© 1997 Optical Society of America