A modular, compact and widely tunable laser system for the efficient generation
of high peak and high average power ultrashort pulses. Modularity is ensured by
the implementation of interchangeable amplifier components. System compactness
is ensured by employing efficient fiber amplifiers, directly or indirectly pumped
by diode lasers. Peak power handling capability of the fiber amplifiers is expanded
by using optimized pulse shapes, as well as dispersively broadened pulses. After
amplification, the dispersively stretched pulses can be re-compressed to nearly
their bandwidth limit by the implementation of another set of dispersive delay
lines. To ensure a wide tunability of the whole system, Raman-shifting of the compact
sources of the ultrashort pulses in conjunction with frequency-conversion in nonlinear
optical crystals can be implemented, or an Anti-Stokes fiber in conjunction with
fiber amplifiers and Raman-shifters are used.
