Hidra is targeted at demanding research applications requiring custom performance without the high cost of a custom laser including femtosecond spectroscopy, high-field physics, and non-linear optics
Coherent introduces Hidra, a family of high-energy Ti:Sapphire amplifiers.
Using a design approach that provides the flexibility of a custom laser with the simplicity of proven, scalable building blocks, Hidra addresses the needs of all users interested in power levels up to or exceeding a terawatt.
"Using different arrangements of these modules, repetition rates from single shot to 20 Hz, and pulse widths from 35 femtoseconds to two picoseconds, can be selected," noted Steve Edstrom, product manager for custom solid-state lasers.
"In addition, the output energy can be specified from 2 to 100mJ, or even higher in customized version of the product.
"Hidra can be seeded by many available oscillators including Coherent's comprehensive line of Ti:Sapphire laser oscillators, such as Mira, Chameleon and Vitesse.
"Furthermore, Hidra can also be provided with a 1kHz front end, adding flexibility to the whole system".
The regenerative amplifier design of the Hidra, complemented by additional multipass modules, provides two key benefits.
First, this approach enables access to terawatt pulse levels, starting from a simple, cost-effective optical arrangement, even through successive upgrades.
Second, because the output pulse stability of an amplifier is dominated by the initial amplification stage, the use of a 1kHz front-end amplifier, pumped by the DPSS Evolution laser, provides unique pulse-to-pulse stability for systems of its class.
The Hidra family is targeted at demanding research applications that require custom performance without the high cost of a custom laser system.
These applications include femtosecond spectroscopy, high-field physics, and non-linear optics.
