Dimitrios Papadopoulos (LULI), Xavier Delen (LCF)
The Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) technique is the key element in the architecture of state of the art high intensity laser facilities for the generation of extreme contrast ultrashort pulses. Nevertheless, it still remains a quite demanding method with the biggest challenge being the synchronization of the pump and signal beams. With UGOSOP we proposed a simple and novel technique based on the optical Kerr effect, capable to produce optically synchronized pump-signal pairs generated from two independent oscillators.
The proof of concept for the generation of optically synchronized pump-signal pulses has been achieved in the frame of the UGOSOP project using the Apollon laser Front End source. In this work we have demonstrated that we could integrate our technique in an already operating laser system and generate high quality, energetic (µJ) picosecond pulses in the 1 µm range perfectly synchronized with the 800 nm ultrashort beam line of the Apollon laser. The proposed technique aspires to provide a robust solution for the development of cost efficient, reliable, state of the art OPCPA based ultrafast high intensity laser systems accessible to future or even already operation laser facilities. The industrial potential of our method is therefore evident and resulted in the submission of a Patent in France that is currently under extension on the international level.
Brevet : D. Papadopoulos, X. Delen and F. Druon, Synchronisation effet Kerr, FR 18 53519 (Patent: 20/04/2018)
Results obtained in the frame of the project Ultrafast Gating for the generation of Optically Synchronized OPCPA Pump pulses (UGOSOP) supported by the theme 3 of LabEx PALM (2016) realized by Dimitrios Papadopoulos (LULI) and Xavier Delen (LCF).