Generation of High Rep-rate/High Average Power USPL Sources

ABSTRACT: We propose to combine a strecherless fiber amplification technique developed by KMLabs that produces sub-170 fs, 0.1 mJ-class pulses with a divided pulse amplification technique developed at the Cornell Universityto obtain mJ-class, femtosecond output pulses with average powers in excess of 300W, and 100fs class pulses.Divided-pulse amplification (DPA) was proposed as a way to reduce nonlinear effects in picosecond pulse amplification. In this technique, the input pulse is passed through M birefringent crystals or beam splitters to produce 2M copies, and thereby decrease the individual-pulse peak power by the same factor. The individual amplified pulses are recombined after the amplifier to create a pulse with high peak power.DPA was employed to demonstrate the first fiber amplifier to generate transform-limited pulses with megawatt peak power.; BENEFIT: There are a variety of scientific markets for this technology, and most of these market segments require the generation of ultraviolet or deep ultraviolet light.KMLabs holds significant IP for the generation of low wavelength light with an ultrafast laser, and the laser enabled by this proposal would perform well in these wavelength-conversion applications because of the high pulse energy and short pulse duration (<100 fs).These market segments align perfectly with KMLabs strategic plan spurred by the investment by Intel Capital.We see an immediate need for rod-type high power fiber lasers in DUV/VUV/EUV (deep UV, vacuum UV, and extreme UV) sources for research.Low cost, high performance, and high reliability will be essential for all markets.Scientific research utilizing a coherent VUV source typically begins with a high power ultrafast amplifier system.In the case of a KMLabs VUV system, a customer will typically purchase our XUUS product which is tunable from 13nm-100nm, along with a Ti:Sapphire amplifier.While branded as an EUV system, many customers would be happy with a smaller subset of wavelengths in the VUV range.