Supercontinuum-seeded few-cycle mid-infrared OPCPA system

We propose and demonstrate an OPCPA architecture emitting few-cycle pulses at 3070 nm and 1550 nm based on a high-energy femtosecond ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier pump. The short pump pulse duration allows direct seeding by a supercontinuum in the 1.4 - 1.7 mu m signal range, generated in bulk YAG. It also allows a simplified dispersion management along the system and broad optical gain bandwidth. The dual output system delivers 20 mu J, 49 fs signal pulses at 1550 nm and 10 mu J, 72 fs idler pulses at 3070 nm. Power scaling limitations due to beam distortion in the last MgO: PPLN-based OPCPA stage are discussed and investigated. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America