Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
$149,340.00
Fourier-plane Optical Parametric Amplification (FOPA) - a novel approach for multi-TW IR carrier envelope phase stable sub two cycle laser pulses
FY 2012-13
Summary
Today, researchers from a broad diversity of scientific horizons are anticipating using X-ray pulses to probe dynamical processes with combined high spatial and high temporal resolution. This quest motivates the construction of X-ray Free Electron Laser facilities around the world providing femtosecond X-ray pulses of high brilliance. The drawback of such facilities, on top of their huge financial investment of billion of dollars, is their limited availability thus restraining the number of experiments that can be performed.
Another highly promising approach is High Harmonic Generation (HHG) which is a table top experiment. To generate efficiently X-rays above 300 eV of photon energy via HHG, one must use ultrafast laser pulses at longer wavelength than commercially available 800 nm Titanium-Sapphire laser. Long wavelength laser sources are not common and limited to millijoule of energy per pulse. At INRS-ÉMT, we have developed a unique laser technology delivering carrier envelope phase (CEP) stable sub millijoule, sub two optical cycle 1800 nm laser pulses. We propose to upgrade significantly this laser source by developing a new type of amplifier, the Fourier plane Optical Parametric Amplifier (FOPA). A successful demonstration of this new amplifier (PCT/CA2012/050557) has been carried out very recently at the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) and delivered 1.5mJ CEP stable sub two cycle pulses. With the unique equipments requested in this application, we plan to push this current world record to the 50 mJ (multi-TW) level. Such specification will put our research team in a very strong position of international leadership by having the ideal laser to develop a state-of-the-art high flux table-top soft X-ray beamline with important applications in biology and material sciences. Furthermore, this unique laser source will be used for table top acceleration of relativistic electron by tightly focusing a radially polarized laser beam. This new acceleration mechanism was also successfully demonstrated at ALLS in 2012.
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Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
440212-2013
Name nom
Légaré, François
Department département
Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications (ÉMT) Varennes
Organization id
56
Institution établissement
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2012
Competition year année de concours
2013
Award amount
149340
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1505
Committee name en
Physics
Committee name fr
Physique
Area of application code
1200
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application fr
Avancement des connaissances
Research subject code
3111
Research subject group en
Physics
Research subject group fr
Physique
Research subject en
Lasers
Research subject fr
Laser
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Fourier-plane Optical Parametric Amplification (FOPA) - a novel approach for multi-TW IR carrier envelope phase stable sub two cycle laser pulses
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Today, researchers from a broad diversity of scientific horizons are anticipating using X-ray pulses to probe dynamical processes with combined high spatial and high temporal resolution. This quest motivates the construction of X-ray Free Electron Laser facilities around the world providing femtosecond X-ray pulses of high brilliance. The drawback of such facilities, on top of their huge financial investment of billion of dollars, is their limited availability thus restraining the number of experiments that can be performed.
Another highly promising approach is High Harmonic Generation (HHG) which is a table top experiment. To generate efficiently X-rays above 300 eV of photon energy via HHG, one must use ultrafast laser pulses at longer wavelength than commercially available 800 nm Titanium-Sapphire laser. Long wavelength laser sources are not common and limited to millijoule of energy per pulse. At INRS-ÉMT, we have developed a unique laser technology delivering carrier envelope phase (CEP) stable sub millijoule, sub two optical cycle 1800 nm laser pulses. We propose to upgrade significantly this laser source by developing a new type of amplifier, the Fourier plane Optical Parametric Amplifier (FOPA). A successful demonstration of this new amplifier (PCT/CA2012/050557) has been carried out very recently at the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) and delivered 1.5mJ CEP stable sub two cycle pulses. With the unique equipments requested in this application, we plan to push this current world record to the 50 mJ (multi-TW) level. Such specification will put our research team in a very strong position of international leadership by having the ideal laser to develop a state-of-the-art high flux table-top soft X-ray beamline with important applications in biology and material sciences. Furthermore, this unique laser source will be used for table top acceleration of relativistic electron by tightly focusing a radially polarized laser beam. This new acceleration mechanism was also successfully demonstrated at ALLS in 2012.
)
