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

在超短时间窗内将大量能量储存到物质中的效果，是高能量密度物理中的关键过程，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一个主要推动力领域。同时，强脉冲与物质的相互作用虽然更加复杂，但对能源生产、医药和国家安全等日常生活有着深远的影响。高能密度物理科学技术的快速发展已经演变成一种共生关系，其中新的发现推动了对额外技术的需求，创新的激光概念开辟了通往意想不到的物理行为的道路。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，出现了一种新型的混合激光器结构--光学参量啁啾放大(OPCPA)。OPCPA代表着超快放大器技术的一次量子飞跃，将产生与啁啾脉冲放大(CPA)同等的科学影响。该项目将在俄亥俄州立大学开发一种独特的在2微米波长下运行的超高速中红外OPCPA设施。这是美国第一个以OPCPA大学为基础的项目，也是第一个工作在2微米的TWOPCPA(太瓦光参量Chirppulse放大)系统。这一独特的系统将在强场科学中打开新的机会，这将由一个强烈的长波长源实现。OPCPA系统旨在对大学一些教员的科学利益产生最大影响，同时提供超出特定机构界限的尖端激光开发。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射线制度下产生高次谐波和产生前所未有的阿秒脉冲持续时间提供卓越的驱动器。千赫兹部分还将用作10赫兹高功率(10太瓦)OPCPA部分的前置放大器，用于在强激光-原子相互作用的相对论区域进行研究，并在大宗材料中进行高能量密度物理研究。此外，该设计将允许同时使用这两个部分的科学应用。这一设施将使该大学成为为下一代超快研究开发新技术的全国卓越中心，以及高能量密度物理和惯性约束能源培训的目的地学校。该设施将对该大学的奖学金和物理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.