Tsunami - Beckman Institute Laser Resource Center
Tsunami - Beckman Institute Laser Resource Center
Tsunami - Beckman Institute Laser Resource Center
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I I I I I I I I ti 911 I1 I<br />
Pulse Width Measurement<br />
Table B-2: Positive Dispersion Values @ 800 nm<br />
Material<br />
Fused Silica<br />
BK-7<br />
Ti:sapphire<br />
SF-1 0<br />
D,(fs2/cm)<br />
300<br />
450<br />
580<br />
1590<br />
Table B-3: Negative Dispersion Values @ 800 nm<br />
System<br />
SF-1 0 Brewster Prism pair, double pass<br />
BK-7 Brewster Prism pair, double pass<br />
Grating pair, 400 lineslcm<br />
Q 30" incidence angle, double pass<br />
Grating pair, 1000 lineslcm<br />
Q 30" incidence angle, double pass<br />
D,(fs2/cm)<br />
-80.2<br />
-12.8<br />
-1 500<br />
-1 0,000<br />
Calculating Pulse Broadening<br />
For an initial setup based on your <strong>Tsunami</strong> and a Model 409 -08 autocorrelator,<br />
set the prisms approximately 30 cm apart at Brewster's angle to<br />
the beam with the high reflector a few cm from the second prism. With<br />
this spacing, the prism pair should start with excess negative GVD. By<br />
moving the prism tips into the beam, we can balance the GVD for minimum<br />
pulse width. To do this, place the first prism on a translation stage<br />
that moves the prism in the direction of the bisector of the apex. This way,<br />
more glass can be pushed into the beam path without displacing the beam<br />
or changing its angular direction. This allows the negative GVD of the<br />
prism system to balance the positive GVD created by all the glass. By<br />
moving the prism into the beam path and monitoring the output from a<br />
Model 409 -08, the pulse should get narrower as the dispersion is<br />
balanced. If a minimum cannot be found, adjust the prism spacing and<br />
search for the minimum again.<br />
Below are some simple formulae for calculating the effects of GVD and<br />
compensation. B (broadening), is defined as the ratio of the output pulse<br />
width to the input pulse width where B = tout/ ti,. Consequently, knowing<br />
the input pulse width, B can be calculated and then tout = B - ti,.<br />
A simple formula for calculating the broadening of a transform-limited<br />
Gaussian pulse by dispersive elements is: