Advanced techniques of high-efficiency pulse compression for KrF lasers

Abstract

A couple of advanced techniques of high-efficiency pulse compression for KrF lasers have been developed in our laboratory. As is well known, electron beam-excited KrF lasers have a capability of large output energy of 100- to 1,000-ns pulse duration. However, high-efficiency operation under a short-pulse input is difficult to achieve because of the reaction kinetics and short lifetime of KrF excimers. For developing ultrahigh peak-power lasers, the efficient pulse compression of ns to ps and ps to fs pulses is essential. We demonstrated advanced techniques, Raman pulse compression in a transient Raman regime, and pulse compression in saturated amplifiers with saturable absorbers.