Pump laser upgrade for ultrafast laser system

该提案要求在布罗克豪斯材料研究所的光子学研究实验室(PRL)与我们的超快钛宝石激光系统一起使用一台新的泵浦激光器(EMPOWER 30，光谱物理-纽波特)。PRL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、用于基础材料科学实验的人造材料的制造，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，该装置的性能大幅下降。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卓越的性能。这些改进的性能意味着我们将能够进行更敏感的实验，特别是在我们基于太赫兹辐射的研究项目中，其中激光稳定性至关重要。此外，EMPOWER 30将为超快钛宝石激光放大器的未来运行提供前景，利用该型号可提供的更高平均泵浦功率。我们很幸运，我们可以通过Spectra物理为我们现有的Merlin LCX激光器获得一个有吸引力的以旧换新价值，我们认为这使得升级请求的时机变得令人信服。

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.