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Maximizing the efficiency of intrapulse difference frequency generation by pulse shaping and recycling

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Abstract

Intrapulse Difference Frequency Generation (iDFG) is an interesting technique for generating femtosecond pulses in the Mid-Infrared (MIR) range with unique properties such as robust Carrier-Envelope Phase (CEP) stability. However, its efficiency is low compared to other techniques. In this paper, we describe an iDFG system operating within the 4–10 \(\upmu\)m range that features an original architecture to enhance efficiency. First, we introduce an interesting technique on the generation process. This approach involves polarization and spectral phase shaping techniques on the driving pulse to maximize the number of photons enrolled in the process. Second, we demonstrate that the polarization shaping allows further enhancement of efficiency by recycling the iDFG signal to pump a subsequent optical parametric amplification (OPA) stage. These two concepts and the associated parameters optimization are described into details, and supported by experimental results. Combined with a high-power Yb-fiber-based pump laser, these techniques allow to achieve record efficiencies, and generate \(\upmu\)J-level, few-cycle, tunable, CEP-stable pulses in the MIR at repetition rates above 100 kHz.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) through the projects ANR MIRTHYX (Grant ID: ANR-19-CE30-0001-MIRTHYX) and the Labex PALM (Grant ID: ANR-10-LABX-0039-PALM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris-Saclay, Institut d’Optique Graduate School, CNRS, Laboratoire Charles Fabry, Palaiseau, 91127, France

    Quentin Bournet, Fréderic Druon, Marc Hanna & Patrick Georges

  2. Amplitude, 11 Avenue de Canteranne, Cité de la Photonique France, Pessac, 33600, France

    Quentin Bournet, Florent Guichard, Michele Natile & Yoann Zaouter

  3. Laboratoire d’Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, 91128, France

    Mindaugas Jonusas, Manuel Joffre & Adeline Bonvalet

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  1. Quentin Bournet
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Quentin Bournet and Frédéric Druon wrote the main manuscript text and Quentin Bournet. prepared the figures. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fréderic Druon.

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Bournet, Q., Jonusas, M., Guichard, F. et al. Maximizing the efficiency of intrapulse difference frequency generation by pulse shaping and recycling. Appl. Phys. B 130, 33 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-023-08162-0

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