Revolutionary Compact Laser System Boasts 80% Efficiency

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart, in collaboration with Stuttgart Instruments GmbH, have developed a compact short-pulse laser system that achieves up to 80% efficiency—more than double that of existing technologies. This innovative system utilizes a multipass optical parametric amplifier design, allowing light to be reused within a small crystal, resulting in a device that fits in the palm of a hand. The laser generates pulses shorter than 50 femtoseconds and consists of just five components, making it highly versatile and adaptable to various wavelength ranges and pulse durations. Potential applications include medicine, analytics, gas sensor technology, and environmental research. The findings were published in the journal Nature.

Short-pulse lasers emit light pulses lasting only nano-, pico-, or femtoseconds, allowing them to concentrate a large amount of energy on a small area within an extremely short time. Traditional efficient short-pulse lasers require significant space and are expensive, achieving only about 35% efficiency. The new system developed by the University of Stuttgart researchers employs a multipass optical parametric amplifier, where light pulses are repeatedly passed through a single short crystal. Between passes, the pulses are realigned to maintain synchronization, resulting in a compact system capable of generating pulses shorter than 50 femtoseconds with up to 80% efficiency.

The compact and efficient nature of this laser system opens up numerous applications across various fields:

• Medicine: Enhanced imaging techniques and precise surgical procedures.

• Analytics: Improved spectroscopic methods for material analysis.

• Gas Sensor Technology: More sensitive detection of gases for environmental monitoring.

• Environmental Research: Advanced tools for studying atmospheric phenomena and pollution.

Prof. Harald Giessen, Head of the 4th Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart, stated, "With our new system, we can achieve levels of efficiency that were previously almost unattainable." Dr. Tobias Steinle, lead author of the study, added, "Our multipass system demonstrates that extremely high efficiencies need not come at the expense of bandwidth."

The study was supported by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the KMU-Innovativ funding line, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the Baden-Württemberg Foundation, the Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), and the Innovation Campus Mobility of the Future (ICM). It was carried out by the 4th Physics Institute of the University of Stuttgart in cooperation with Stuttgart Instruments GmbH as part of the MIRESWEEP project.

Traditional short-pulse laser systems achieve approximately 35% efficiency and are often large and costly. The new system's 80% efficiency and compact size represent a significant advancement, potentially replacing larger, less efficient systems in various applications.

The development of this compact, highly efficient short-pulse laser system marks a significant milestone in laser technology, with broad implications for medicine, environmental research, and various industrial applications.