APL HE series
datasheet
- Pulse energies up to 2.2 J
- 20 – 300 ps pulse duration
- 10 Hz pulse repetition rate
- Flash lamp pumped picosecond amplifiers
- Diode pumped regenerative amplifier
- Pulse energies up to 2.2 J
- 20 – 300 ps pulse duration
- 10 Hz pulse repetition rate
- Flash lamp pumped picosecond amplifiers
- Diode pumped regenerative amplifier
Features & Applications
Features
- Flash lamp pumped picosecond amplifiers
- Pulse energies up to 2.2 J
- 20 – 300 ps pulse duration
- 10 Hz pulse repetition rate
- Diode pumped regenerative amplifier
- Internal or external seeding source
- Advanced beam shaping for high pulse energy
- Thermally induced birefringence compensated design
- Less than 10 ps RMS jitter synchronization pulses for streak camera triggering
- Control through USB and LAN interfaces with supplied Windows control software (RS232 optional)
- Vacuum image relay system
- Optional temperature stabilized second, third and fourth harmonic generators
- Optional extremely precise synchronization to external RF signal with PLL option
- Optional Gaussian like spatial beam profile with Gaussian fit > 85% in near field
- Optional reduced pulse duration to 20 ps
Applications
- Time resolved spectroscopy
- SFG/SHG spectroscopy
- Nonlinear spectroscopy
- OPCPA pumping
- OPG/OPA pumping
- Remote laser sensing
- Satellite ranging
- Other spectroscopic and nonlinear optics applications…
Description
High energy APL series amplifiers are designed to produce high energy picosecond pulses at 1064 nm. High pulse energy, excellent pulse-to-pulse energy stability, superior beam quality makes these amplifiers well suited for applications like OPCPA pumping, non-linear optics and others.
Regenerative amplifier / Power amplifier design
APL series amplifiers are designed to be seeded by external seeding source. Diode pumped regenerative amplifier ensures amplification of seed signal to stable mJ level pulse for amplification in linear amplifiers. Advanced beam shaping ensures smooth, without hot spots beam spatial profile at the laser output. Low light depolarization level allows high efficiency generation of up to 4th harmonic with optional build-in harmonic generators. Alternatively Ekspla can offer an internal seeder meeting customer’s requirements.
Build-in harmonic generators
Angle-tuned non-linear crystals harmonic generators mounted in temperature stabilized heaters are used for second, third and fourth harmonic generation. Harmonic separation system is designed to ensure high spectral purity of radiation and direct it to the output ports.
Simple and convenient laser control
For customer convenience the amplifier can be controlled through USB and LAN interfaces (RS232 as optional). The amplifier can be controlled from personal computer with supplied software for Windows operating system.
Specifications
| Model | APL30010 | APL60010 | APL1k10 | APL2k10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAIN SPECIFICATIONS 1) | ||||
| Output energy | ||||
| Fundamental | 300 mJ | 600 mJ | 1000 mJ | 2200 mJ 2) 3) |
| SH output 4) 5) | 200 mJ | 400 mJ | 650 mJ | 1400 mJ |
| TH output 4) | 90 mJ | 180 mJ | 300 mJ | 660 mJ |
| FH output 4) | 30 mJ | 60 mJ | 100 mJ | 220 mJ |
| Pulse repetition rate | 10 Hz | |||
| Pulse duration 6) | 90 ± 10 ps | |||
| Pulse energy stability 7) | ||||
| Fundamental | ≤ 0.6 % | |||
| SH output 4) | ≤ 0.8 % | |||
| TH output 4) | ≤ 2 % | |||
| FH output 4) | ≤ 3 % | |||
| Long-term power drift 8) | ± 2 % | |||
| Beam spatial profile | Super-Gaussian 9) | |||
| Beam diameter 10) | 9 mm | ~11 mm | ~17 mm | ~23 mm |
| Beam pointing stability 11) | ≤ 30 µrad | |||
| Beam divergence | ≤ 0.5 mrad | |||
| Pre-pulse contrast 12) | > 200:1 | |||
| Optical pulse jitter 13) | ||||
| Trig out | ≤ 100 ps | |||
| Pre-Trig out | ≤ 50 ps | |||
| With –PLL option | ≤ 2 ps | |||
| Polarization | Linear | |||
| PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 14) | ||||
| Laser head size (W×L×H mm) | 600 × 1200 × 300 | 600 × 1500 × 300 | 600 × 1800 × 300 | 900 × 1800 × 300 |
| Power supply size (W×L×H mm) | 553 × 600 × 650 | 553 × 600 × 830 | 553 × 600 × 1230 | |
| Umbilical length 15) | 2.5 m | |||
| OPERATING REQUIREMENTS 16) | ||||
| Electrical power | 200 – 240 V AC, single-phase, 47 – 63 Hz | 208, 380 or 400 V AC, three-phase, 50/60 Hz 17) | ||
| Power consumption 18) | ≤ 2 kVA | ≤ 2.5 kVA | ≤ 4.5 kVA | ≤ 7 kVA |
| Water supply | ≤ 3 l/min, 2 Bar, max 20 °C | ≤ 6 l/min, 2 Bar, max 20 °C | ≤ 12 l/min, 2 Bar, max 20 °C | ≤ 14 l/min, 2 Bar, max 20 °C |
| Operating ambient temperature | 22 ± 2 °C | |||
| Storage ambient temperature | 15 – 35 °C | |||
| Relative humidity (non-condensing) | ≤ 80 % | |||
| Cleanness of the room | ISO Class 7 | |||
- Due to continuous improvement, all specifications are subject to change without notice. The parameters marked ‘typical’ are indications of typical performance and will vary with each unit we manufacture. Presented parameters can be customized to meet customer‘s requirements. All parameters measured at 1064 nm if not stated otherwise.
- 2 200 mJ energy is achieved with Super-Gaussian spatial beam profile of 11th or higher order (with steep edges). If lower order Super-Gaussian is required maximum pulse energy will be limited to 2 000 mJ.
- 2 500 mJ output energy is available upon request with longer pulse duration.
- Harmonic outputs are optional. Specifications valid with respective harmonic module purchased. Outputs are not simultaneous.
- Second harmonic specification is valid when only SH option is ordered. If TH/FH options are orders second harmonic efficiency is reduced to ~50 %.
- Standard pulse duration is 90 ps. Other pulse durations can be ordered within range of 20 ps – 300 ps. Shortening the pulse duration below 90 ps will reduce the output energy proportionally.
- Under stable environmental conditions, normalized to average pulse energy (RMS, averaged from 60 s).
- Measured over 8 hours period after 30 min warm-up when ambient temperature variation is less than ±2 °C.
- Super-Gaussian spatial mode of 6-11th order in near field.
- Beam diameter is measured at signal output at 1/e2 level for Gaussian beams and FWHM level for Super-Gaussian beams.
- Beam pointing stability is evaluated as movement of the beam centroid in the focal plane of a focusing element (RMS, averaged from 60 s).
- 1000:1 contrast available upon request.
- Optical pulse jitter with respect to electrical outputs:
– Trig out > 3.5 V @ 50 Ω
– Pre-Trig out > 1 V @ 50 Ω
– PLL option > 1 V @ 50 Ω - System sizes are preliminary and depend on customer lab layout and additional options purchased.
- Longer umbilical with up to 10 m available upon request.
- The laser and auxiliary units must be settled in such a place void of dust and aerosols. It is advisable to operate the laser in air conditioned room, provided that the laser is placed at a distance from air conditioning outlets. The laser should be positioned on a solid worktable. Access from one side should be ensured.
- Voltage fluctuations allowed are +10 % / -15 % from nominal value.
- Required current rating can be calculated by dividing power rating by mains voltage. Power rating is given in apparent power (kVA) for systems with flash lamp power supplies and in real power (kW) for systems without flash lamp power supplies where reactive power is neglectable.
Note: Laser must be connected to the mains electricity all the time. If there will be no mains electricity for longer that 1 hour then laser (system) needs warm up for a few hours before switching on.
Options
| Option | Description | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| -P20…300 | Custom pulse duration between 20 ps and 300 ps | Available with internal and external seeder. Shortening the pulse duration below 90 ps will reduce the output energy proportionally |
| -G | Gaussian like spatial beam profile | Reduces the output energy of fundamental by ~80 % |
| -FS | External seeder input via motorized spectral broadening stage | Requires > 1.5 nJ per pulse @ 800 nm, ≤ 100 fs |
| -PLL | Phase Lock Loop option for precise lock to external RF signal | Electrical to optical signal jitter ≤ 3 ps |
| -SH/TH/FH | second, third and fourth harmonic outputs | Conversion efficiency from fundamental respectively ~50 %, ~30 % and ~10 %. Harmonic outputs not simultaneous with fundamental output |
| -AW | Water-to-Air cooling | Replaces or supplements Water-to-Water cooling unit. Heat dissipation equals total power consumption |
Performance
Drawings & Images
Power Supply
| Cabinet | Usable height | Height H, mm | Width W, mm | Depth D, mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MR-9 | 9 U | 455.5 (519 1) ) | 553 | 600 |
| MR-12 | 12 U | 589 (653 1) ) | 553 | 600 |
| MR-16 | 16 U | 768 (832 1) ) | 553 | 600 |
| MR-20 | 20 U | 889 (952 1) ) | 553 | 600 |
| MR-25 | 25 U | 1167 (1231 1) ) | 553 | 600 |
- Full height with wheels.
Publications
Quantitative picosecond laser-induced fluorescence measurements of nitric oxide in flames
Related applications: Fluorescence Spectroscopy Laser Spectroscopy Time-resolved Spectroscopy
Quantitative concentrations measurements using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence have been demonstrated for nitric oxide (NO) in flame. Fluorescence lifetimes measured using a picosecond Nd:YAG laser and optical parametric amplifier system have been used to directly compensate the measured signal for collisional quenching and evaluate NO concentration. The full evaluation also includes the spectral overlap between the ∼15 cm−1 broad laser pulse and multiple NO absorption lines as well as the populations of the probed energy levels. Effective fluorescence lifetimes of 1.2 and 1.5 ns were measured in prepared NO/N2/O2 mixtures at ambient pressure and temperature and in a premixed NH3-seeded CH4/N2/O2 flame, respectively. Concentrations evaluated from measurements in NO/N2/O2 mixtures with NO concentrations of 100–600 ppm were in agreement with set values within 3% at higher concentrations. An accuracy of 13% was estimated by analysis of experimental uncertainties. An NO profile measured in the flame showed concentrations of ∼1000 ppm in the post-flame region and is in good agreement with NO concentrations predicted by a chemical mechanism for NH3 combustion. An accuracy of 16% was estimated for the flame measurements. The direct concentration evaluation from time-resolved fluorescence allows for quantitative measurements in flames where the composition of major species and their collisional quenching on the probed species is unknown. In particular, this is valid for non-stationary turbulent combustion and implementation of the presented approach for measurements under such conditions is discussed.
Table top TW-class OPCPA system driven by tandem femtosecond Yb:KGW and picosecond Nd:YAG lasers
Related applications: OPCPA Systems
We present a compact TW-class OPCPA system operating at 800 nm. Broadband seed pulses are generated and pre-amplified to 25 mJ in a white light continuum seeded femtosecond NOPA. Amplification of the seed pulses to 35 mJ at a repetition rate of 10 Hz and compression to 9 fs is demonstrated.
Emission properties of ns and ps laser-induced soft x-ray sources using pulsed gas jets
Related applications: High Intensity Sources Plasma Physics
The influcence of the pulse duration on the emission characteristics of nearly debris-free laser-induced plasmas in the soft x-ray region (λ ≈1-5 nm) was investigated, using six different target gases from a pulsed jet. Compared to ns pulses of the same energy, a ps laser generates a smaller, more strongly ionized plasma, being about 10 times brighter than the ns laser plasma. Moreover, the spectra are considerably shifted towards shorter wavelengths. Electron temperatures and densities of the plasma are obtained by comparing the spectra with model calculations using a magneto-hydrodynamic code.
