Ultrashort Pulse Manufacturing Technology

High power femtosecond laser sources are recognized now as excellent tools for high precision micromachining. Unlike conventional laser machining, femtosecond laser machining reduces collateral damage to the surroundings. We propose to develop a compact diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:KYW oscillator with increased output pulse energy. The laser will employ a cavity design that will allow for a few times increase in single pulse energy compared to a standard femtosecond laser resulting in 100-nJ, 100-fs pulses at a repetition rate of 20 MHz. The proposed laser system can be used in applications such as direct laser writing, surface micro-structuring, creating micro-channels in transparent materials, waveguide writing in poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA), cutting of biological materials, and plastic welding. For applications requiring mJ pulse energy levels, the system can be upgraded to a femtosecond oscillator – regenerative amplifier laser system with >1 mJ per pulse laser output at 1-10 kHz with 100-200 fs pulse duration. The compact, directly diode-pumped ultrafast laser represents an enabling technology, allowing ultrafast systems to emerge from the laboratory into widespread scientific and industrial applications. BENEFIT: The proposed high power ultrafast laser has the potential for significant scientific and commercial impact. With the lower cost made possible by the simplicity of design, a wider range of research groups in academia and industry will be able to obtain ultrafast sources. The simplicity, higher reliability, and smaller size of the systems will also greatly expand and accelerate the use of ultrafast lasers in biotechnology, medical imaging, industrial process control, and security systems.