Development of an Optical Parametric Chirped-Pulse Amplifier System for Exploring Strong Field Interactions at Long Wavelengths

在超短时间内将大量能量沉积到物质中，这是高能量密度物理中的关键过程，其效果与携带能量的光的波长密切相关。在最基本的层面上，孤立原子与强电磁场的相互作用是未来发展的基石，因此是现代原子、分子和光学物理学的主要推力领域。与此同时，强脉冲与大块物质的相互作用更加复杂，但对日常生活产生深远影响，例如能源生产，医学和国家安全。高能量密度物理科学和技术的快速发展已经演变成一种共生关系，新的发现推动了对额外技术的需求，而创新的激光概念为意想不到的物理行为开辟了道路。该项目专门解决了推动这些新的科学发展的技术需求。21世纪初标志着一种新型混合激光结构的出现，光学参数啁啾脉冲放大（OPCPA）。OPCPA代表了超高速放大器技术的一个巨大飞跃，它将对啁啾脉冲放大（CPA）产生同等的科学影响。该项目将在俄亥俄州立大学开发一个独特的超快中红外OPCPA设备，工作在2微米波长。这是美国第一个基于大学的OPCPA项目，也是第一个工作在2微米的TWOPCPA（太瓦光参量啁啾脉冲放大）系统。这种独特的系统将为强场科学开辟新的机会，而强场科学将由强长波源实现。OPCPA系统旨在对大学许多教师的科学兴趣产生最大影响，同时提供超越特定机构限制的尖端激光开发。拟议的2微米OPCPA将具有高平均功率千赫兹部分，用于解决强场原子物理中的重要问题，同时为在x射线中产生高谐波和产生前所未有的阿秒脉冲持续时间提供优越的驱动器。千赫兹部分还将作为10赫兹高功率（10太瓦）OPCPA部分的前置放大器，用于研究强激光原子相互作用的相对论性制度和块状材料的高能量密度物理研究。此外，该设计将允许两个部分同时用于科学应用。该设施将使该大学成为下一代超高速研究新技术开发的国家卓越中心，以及高能量密度物理和惯性约束能量培训的目的地学校。该设施将对该大学物理学领域的学术和教学传统产生持久的影响。

The effects of depositing large amounts of energy into matter within an ultra-short time window, which is the key process in high-energy-density physics, are intimately related to the wavelength of the light carrying the energy. At the most fundamental level the interaction of an isolated atom with an intense electromagnetic field is the building block for future advances and thus a major thrust area in modern atomic, molecular and optical physics. At the same time, the interaction of an intense pulse with bulk matter poses more complexity but has far-reaching impact for everyday life, e.g. energy production, medicine and national security. The rapid progress of science and technology in high-energy-density physics has evolved into a symbiotic relationship where new discoveries fuel the need for additional technology and innovative laser concepts open the path to unexpected physical behavior. This project specifically addresses the technology needs for driving these new scientific developments. The beginning of the 21st century marks the emergence of a novel hybrid laser architecture, optical parametric chirppulse amplification (OPCPA). OPCPA represents a quantum jump in ultra-fast amplifier technology that will have an equivalent scientific impact to that of chirp-pulsed amplification (CPA). This project will develop a unique ultra-fast mid-infrared OPCPA facility operating at 2 micron wavelength at Ohio State University. This represents the first OPCPA university-based program in the US and the first TWOPCPA (TeraWatt Optical Parametric Chirppulse Amplification) system operating at 2 micron. This unique system will open new opportunities in strong-field science that will be enabled by an intense long-wavelength source. The OPCPA system is designed to have maximum impact on the science interests of a number of faculty at the university while providing cutting edge laser development that extends beyond a specific institutional bound. The proposed 2 micron OPCPA will have a high-average power kilohertz section for addressing important problems in strong-field atomic physics while providing a superior driver for generating high harmonics in the x-ray regime and the production of unprecedented attosecond pulse durations. The kilohertz section will also serve as a preamplifier for a 10 Hz high-powered (10 TeraWatt) OPCPA section for performing investigations in the relativistic regime of intense laser-atom interaction and high-energy-density physics studies in bulk material. Furthermore, the design will allow simultaneous usage of both sections for science application. This facility should allow the university to become a national center of excellence in the development of new technologies for the next generation of ultra-fast studies, as well as the destination school for training in high-energy-density physics and Inertial Confinement Energy. The facility will have a lasting influence on scholarship and teaching traditions within physics at the university.