CPA Laser System

How to define Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) laser system

Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) is a technique used to amplify ultrafast laser pulses to extremely high peak powers. The technique involves stretching a short-duration laser pulse in time, amplifying the resulting lower-intensity pulse, and then recompressing it to its original duration.

The CPA system consists of several key components. The first is a mode-locked laser oscillator that produces short-duration laser pulses with a broad spectrum of frequencies. These pulses are then passed through a pulse stretcher, which uses dispersive elements such as diffraction gratings or prisms to spread the pulses out in time. This stretching process reduces the peak intensity of the pulse and makes it easier to amplify. The stretched pulse is then amplified in a laser amplifier, which can be based on either solid-state or fiber-optic technology. The amplification process is typically achieved through stimulated emission, where the photons in the pulse induce the emission of additional photons from a gain medium, such as a doped crystal or fiber.

Sketch of CPA system

After amplification, the pulse is passed through a pulse compressor, which uses a similar set of dispersive elements to the pulse stretcher to recombine the pulse in time. The compressed pulse is then focused onto a target, where it can be used for various applications such as material processing, scientific research, or medical procedures.

Overall, the Chirped Pulse Amplification system allows for producing extremely high-intensity laser pulses, which can be used for a wide range of applications, including high-field physics, materials science, and biomedical imaging.

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