US 12,263,533 B2
Spectrally broadening ultrashort-pulse compressor
Nick Hartmann, Seattle, WA (US); and Michael Hertwig, San Ramon, CA (US)
Assigned to Coherent, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Coherent, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/148,521.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219259 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 26/0622 (2014.01); B23K 26/046 (2014.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01)
CPC B23K 26/0624 (2015.10) [B23K 26/046 (2013.01); B23K 26/0643 (2013.01); B23K 26/0648 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrashort-pulse compressor, comprising:
one or more broadening bulk-optics arranged to intersect a propagation path of an ultrashort-pulsed laser beam multiple times so as to spectrally broaden a pulse of the ultrashort-pulsed laser beam during each of multiple passes through the one or more broadening bulk-optics;
one or more dispersive optics for compressing a duration of the pulse after each of the multiple passes; and
a plurality of focusing optics for focusing the ultrashort-pulsed laser beam between the multiple passes, the plurality of focusing optics being arranged around the one or more broadening bulk-optics;
wherein distances, along the propagation path, between successive passes through the one or more broadening bulk-optics are detuned from imaging such that a spot size of the ultrashort-pulsed laser beam at the one or more broadening bulk-optics is greater at each successive one of the multiple passes.