Origin and control of the subpicosecond pedestal in femtosecond laser systems

The picosecond time scale pedestal of a multiterawatt femtosecond laser pulse is investigated experimentally and analytically. The origin of the pedestal is related to the finite bandwidth of the laser system. By deliberately introducing a modulated spectrum with minima that match this limited bandw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics letters 2013-09, Vol.38 (18), p.3635-3638
Main Authors: Kaganovich, D, Peñano, J R, Helle, M H, Gordon, D F, Hafizi, B, Ting, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bandwidth
Control systems
Energy use
Femtosecond
Lasers
Mathematical analysis
Minima
Origins
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Summary:The picosecond time scale pedestal of a multiterawatt femtosecond laser pulse is investigated experimentally and analytically. The origin of the pedestal is related to the finite bandwidth of the laser system. By deliberately introducing a modulated spectrum with minima that match this limited bandwidth, the pedestal can be reduced, with no deleterious effect on the main pulse. Using this technique, we experimentally demonstrate a subpicosecond scale order of magnitude enhancement of contrast ratio while preserving the energy in the main pulse.
ISSN:0146-9592
1539-4794
DOI:10.1364/OL.38.003635