Pump laser upgrade for ultrafast laser system

该提案要求一种新的泵浦激光器（来自Spectra Physics -纽波特的Empower 30），用于Brockhouse材料研究所光子学研究实验室（PRL）的超快钛宝石激光系统。PRL中的超快激光研究由一系列研究人员进行，涵盖多个领域，包括材料的微改性和飞秒激光烧蚀，生物光子学，硅光子学，基础材料科学实验的人工材料制造，以及一系列基于太赫兹（THz）辐射的研究。我们目前配备了两个互补的飞秒激光放大器。这些飞秒放大器的泵浦激光器之一，基于闪光灯技术的Merlin LCX，需要更换。这种基于闪光灯的激光器需要大量的电力安装和冷却水供应，并且在性能上受到热和电气设计方面的限制。此外，在近十年的使用中，该装置出现了严重退化。与此相反，所要求的Empower 30激光器基于半导体二极管阵列技术，在激光脉冲能量稳定性方面提供了更高的输出功率和上级性能。这些改进的特性意味着我们将能够进行更灵敏的实验，特别是在我们基于太赫兹辐射的研究项目中，激光稳定性至关重要。此外，Empower 30将为超快钛：蓝宝石激光放大器的未来操作提供前景，利用该模型提供的更高平均泵浦功率。幸运的是，我们可以通过Spectra Physics为我们现有的Merlin LCX激光器获得有吸引力的折价，我们认为这使得此次升级请求的时机引人注目。

This proposal requests a new pump laser (Empower 30 from Spectra Physics - Newport) for utilization with our ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser systems in the Photonics Research Laboratories (PRL) of the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research. The ultrafast laser research in the PRL is being conducted by a range of researchers and covers several areas including micro-modification and femtosecond laser ablation of materials, biophotonics, silicon photonics, fabrication of artificial materials for basic materials science experiments, and a range of Tera-Hertz (THz) radiation based studies. We are currently equipped with two complementary femtosecond laser amplifiers. One of the pump lasers for these femtosecond amplifiers, a Merlin LCX which is based on flashlamp technology, needs to be replaced. This flashlamp-based laser requires a substantial electrical power installation and cooling water supply, and is limited in performance by thermal and electrical design aspects. Moreover, there has been substantial degradation of the unit over almost a decade of utilization. The requested Empower 30 laser, which in contrast is based on semiconductor diode array technology, offers much enhanced output power and superior performance in terms of laser pulse energy stability. These improved properties mean that we will be able to perform much more sensitive experiments, especially in terms of our THz radiation based research projects where the laser stability is crucial. In addition, the Empower 30 will offer perspectives for future operation of ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser amplifiers exploiting the higher average pumping power available with this model. We are fortunate that we can secure through Spectra Physics an attractive trade-in value for our existing Merlin LCX laser which we feel makes the timing of this upgrade request compelling.