Ultra-short pulsed laser at 1064 nm

• Subject Area: Production Technology
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 544803121

High-power picosecond lasers are unique laser systems that can achieve extremely high intensities that are suitable for non-linear laser micromachining. These lasers have pulse repetition rates and average powers that are sufficient for a wide range of industrial applications. The actual concept of post-amplified ps-laser systems is much simpler than that of post-amplified fs-lasers with chirped pulse amplification technology. This makes picosecond lasers more stable, more reliable and more attractive as a production tool. The proposed system is a near-infrared (1064 nm) research/industrial laser with a pulse duration of 15 ps and a maximum average output power of 100 W at repetition rates of 4 MHz; the maximum pulse energy (at lower repetition rates) is 250 µJ. The laser system will be used primarily for the development of material processing technologies in conjunction with dynamic spatial beam shaping for high-precision, high-throughput applications. This includes, in particular, basic research in the field of ultra-short pulsed glass processing and the investigation of the use of beam shaping at different wavelengths. The proposed laser system is a replacement for the previously used ps-laser system. A variety of cutting edge optical setups exist for the current ps-laser system from previous projects, e.g. three-wavelength frequency conversion stage, a pump-probe delay set-up, scanner optics and fixed optics set-ups for 355 nm, 532 nm and 1064 nm wavelengths. As the new device operates at the same wavelength and the pulse duration is only slightly longer, the new laser can be easily integrated into the current optical setups without the need for significant modifications or new acquisitions. The increased power of the new laser will expand the range of materials which can be processed and increase the retained laser power after conversion to the shorter wavelengths.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Ultrakurzpuls-Laser bei 1064 nm
• Instrumentation Group: 5700 Festkörper-Laser
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Michael Schmidt