Pulse Shaper and Laser with Pulse Shaper

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This patent describes a pulse shaper for ultrashort laser pulses, using two adjustable dispersive elements (typically prisms or wedges) that can be shifted relative to one another. By carefully controlling the path length through these elements, the device can precisely shape the temporal characteristics of optical pulses via group velocity dispersion, allowing pulse duration and structure to be finely tuned without changing the beam’s direction. The system can be integrated into lasers, especially mid-infrared lasers, to compensate for or manipulate group delay dispersion efficiently, all with minimal energy loss and without complex active components.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Pulse compression and shaping in ultrafast lasers (e.g., Ti:sapphire, mid-infrared lasers)
• Integration into laser cavities for generating or maintaining ultrashort pulses
• Optical parametric amplifiers and oscillators requiring chirped pulse amplification or seed pulse shaping
• Precision spectroscopy where controlled ultrashort pulses improve measurement accuracy
• Biomedical imaging systems (e.g., multiphoton microscopy) that require specific pulse shapes
• Nonlinear optics experiments that benefit from tailored pulse profiles
• Laser material processing where specific temporal profiles increase processing efficiency
• Ultrafast communication systems relying on precisely shaped pulses

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables simple and precise compensation of group velocity dispersion, crucial for maintaining ultrashort pulse durations
• Minimizes energy losses due to low-reflection and low-absorption design, enhancing efficiency
• Works for a wide range of wavelengths, including visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared regions
• Does not require complex active elements (e.g., AOMs), reducing cost and increasing reliability
• Maintains beam alignment by avoiding changes in beam direction during pulse shaping, simplifying laser system design
• Easily adjustable and tunable during operation, allowing for rapid optimization
• Compact and robust design facilitates integration into existing laser setups
• Capable of handling high intensity pulses typical of ultrafast laser systems

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The present invention relates to a pulse shaper, comprising a first and a second dispersive element, wherein an optical pulse can be coupled to the pulse shaper (1) along a coupling direction such that said pulse exits from the pulse shaper after passing through the first and the second dispersive element along an exit direction, and the first and second dispersive element are adapted to be moveable relative to one another and disposed in such a way that the path length to be traversed by the optical pulse through the first and the second dispersive element after coupling to the pulse shaper can be adjusted without any change in a displacement (?y) between the coupling direction and the exit direction. According to the invention, the first and the second dispersive element are disposed in such a way that the shape of the optical pulse experiences a change as the pulse travels through the pulse shaper (1), said change being caused primarily or exclusively by the group velocity dispersion occurring during passage through the first and/or the second dispersive element.