We experimentally demonstrate a compact and efficient arrangement for fiber delivery of sub-30 fs energetic light pulses at 800 nm. Pulses coming from a broadband Ti:Sapphire oscillator are negatively pre-chirped by a grism-pair stretcher that allows for the control of second and third orders of dispersion. At the direct exit of a 2.7-m long large mode area (LMA) photonic crystal fiber 1-nJ pulses are temporally compressed to 29 fs producing close to 30 kW of peak power. The tunability of the device is studied. Comparison between LMA fibers and standard SMF fibers is also discussed.

© 2012 OSA

1. S. A. Crooker, “Fiber-coupled antennas for ultrafast coherent terahertz spectroscopy in low temperatures and high magnetic fields,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.73(9), 3258–3264 (2002). [CrossRef]
2. A. T. Yeh, H. Gibbs, J.-J. Hu, and A. M. Larson, “Advances in nonlinear optical microscopy for visualizing dynamic tissue properties in culture,” Tissue Eng. Part B Rev.14(1), 119–131 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. Y. Zhao, H. Nakamura, and R. J. Gordon, “Development of a versatile two-photon endoscope for biological imaging,” Biomed. Opt. Express1(4), 1159–1172 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. S. J. Im, A. Husakou, and J. Herrmann, “Soliton delivery of few-cycle optical gigawatt pulses in Kagome-lattice hollow-core photonic crystal fibers,” Phys. Rev. A82(2), 025801 (2010). [CrossRef]
5. T. Le, J. Bethge, J. Skibina, and G. Steinmeyer, “Hollow fiber for flexible sub-20-fs pulse delivery,” Opt. Lett.36(4), 442–444 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. J. S. Skibina, R. Iliew, J. Bethge, M. Bock, D. Fischer, V. I. Beloglasov, R. Wedell, and G. Steinmeyer, “A chirped photonic-crystal fibre,” Nat. Photonics2(11), 679–683 (2008). [CrossRef]
7. J. Bethge, G. Steinmeyer, S. Burger, F. Lederer, and R. Iliew, “Guiding properties of chirped photonic crystal fibers,” J. Lightwave Technol.27(11), 1698–1706 (2009). [CrossRef]
8. T. Le, G. Tempea, Z. Cheng, M. Hofer, and A. Stingl, “Routes to fiber delivery of ultra-short laser pulses in the 25 fs regime,” Opt. Express17(3), 1240–1247 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. P. Tournois, “New diffraction grating pair with very linear dispersion for laser pulse compression,” Electron. Lett.29(16), 1414–1415 (1993). [CrossRef]
10. E. A. Gibson, D. M. Gaudiosi, H. C. Kapteyn, R. Jimenez, S. Kane, R. Huff, C. Durfee, and J. Squier, “Efficient reflection grisms for pulse compression and dispersion compensation of femtosecond pulses,” Opt. Lett.31(22), 3363–3365 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. T. H. Dou, R. Tautz, X. Gu, G. Marcus, T. Feurer, F. Krausz, and L. Veisz, “Dispersion control with reflection grisms of an ultra-broadband spectrum approaching a full octave,” Opt. Express18(26), 27900–27909 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. A. Buettner, U. Buenting, D. Wandt, J. Neumann, and D. Kracht, “Ultrafast double-slab regenerative amplifier with combined gain spectra and intracavity dispersion compensation,” Opt. Express18(21), 21973–21980 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. V. Chauhan, P. Bowlan, J. Cohen, and R. Trebino, “Single-diffraction-grating and grism pulse compressors,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B27(4), 619–624 (2010). [CrossRef]
14. C. Lefort, T. Mansuryan, F. Louradour, and A. Barthelemy, “Pulse compression and fiber delivery of 45 fs Fourier transform limited pulses at 830 nm,” Opt. Lett.36(2), 292–294 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. G. P. Agrawal, Nonlinear Fiber Optics, (Academic Press, 2001).
16. M. Moenster, G. Steinmeyer, R. Iliew, F. Lederer, and K. Petermann, “Analytical relation between effective mode field area and waveguide dispersion in microstructure fibers,” Opt. Lett.31(22), 3249–3251 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. N. K. T. Photonics, “LMA fiber dispersion overview,” http://www.nktphotonics.com/files/files/LMA_fiber_dispersion_overview.pdf
18. C. C. Chang, H. P. Sardesai, and A. M. Weiner, “Dispersion-free fiber transmission for femtosecond pulses by use of a dispersion-compensating fiber and a programmable pulse shaper,” Opt. Lett.23(4), 283–285 (1998). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. M. Tsang, D. Psaltis, and F. G. Omenetto, “Reverse propagation of femtosecond pulses in optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.28(20), 1873–1875 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
20. S. H. Lee, A. L. Cavalieri, D. M. Fritz, M. Myaing, and D. A. Reis, “Adaptive dispersion compensation for remote fiber delivery of near-infrared femtosecond pulses,” Opt. Lett.29(22), 2602–2604 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
21. Z. Jiang, S. D. Yang, D. E. Leaird, and A. M. Weiner, “Fully dispersion-compensated ~500 fs pulse transmission over 50 km single-mode fiber,” Opt. Lett.30(12), 1449–1451 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
22. N. L. Markaryan, L. K. Muradyan, and T. A. Papazyan, “Spectral compression of ultrashort laser pulses,” Sov. J. Quantum Electron.21(7), 783–785 (1991). [CrossRef]
23. L. Kh. Muradyan, N. L. Markaryan, T. A. Papazyan, and A. A. Ohanyan, “Self-action of chirped pulses: spectral compression,” Conf. on Lasers and Electro-Optics US., Tech. Dig. CTUH32, 120–121 (1990).
24. M. Oberthaler and R. A. Höpfel, “Spectral narrowing of ultrashort laser pulses by self-phase modulation in optical fibers,” Appl. Phys. Lett.63(8), 1017–1019 (1993). [CrossRef]
25. M. Lelek, F. Louradour, A. Barthelemy, and C. Froehly, “Time resolved spectral interferometry for single shot femtosecond characterization,” Opt. Commun.261(1), 124–129 (2006). [CrossRef]
26. S. Akturk, M. Kimmel, P. O’Shea, and R. Trebino, “Measuring spatial chirp in ultrashort pulses using single-shot frequency-resolved optical gating,” Opt. Express11(1), 68–78 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
27. D. G. Ouzounov, K. D. Moll, M. A. Foster, W. R. Zipfel, W. W. Webb, and A. L. Gaeta, “Delivery of nanojoule femtosecond pulses through large-core microstructured fibers,” Opt. Lett.27(17), 1513–1515 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
28. S. Ramachandran, J. W. Nicholson, S. Ghalmi, M. F. Yan, P. Wisk, E. Monberg, and F. V. Dimarcello, “Robust, single-moded, broadband transmission and pulse compression in a record Aeff (2100 μm2) higher-order-mode fiber,” ECOC Conf. 6, 37–38 (2005).

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• M. Oberthaler and R. A. Höpfel, “Spectral narrowing of ultrashort laser pulses by self-phase modulation in optical fibers,” Appl. Phys. Lett.63(8), 1017–1019 (1993). [CrossRef]

Biomed. Opt. Express

• Y. Zhao, H. Nakamura, and R. J. Gordon, “Development of a versatile two-photon endoscope for biological imaging,” Biomed. Opt. Express1(4), 1159–1172 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Electron. Lett.

• P. Tournois, “New diffraction grating pair with very linear dispersion for laser pulse compression,” Electron. Lett.29(16), 1414–1415 (1993). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• J. Bethge, G. Steinmeyer, S. Burger, F. Lederer, and R. Iliew, “Guiding properties of chirped photonic crystal fibers,” J. Lightwave Technol.27(11), 1698–1706 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• V. Chauhan, P. Bowlan, J. Cohen, and R. Trebino, “Single-diffraction-grating and grism pulse compressors,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B27(4), 619–624 (2010). [CrossRef]

Nat. Photonics

• J. S. Skibina, R. Iliew, J. Bethge, M. Bock, D. Fischer, V. I. Beloglasov, R. Wedell, and G. Steinmeyer, “A chirped photonic-crystal fibre,” Nat. Photonics2(11), 679–683 (2008). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• M. Lelek, F. Louradour, A. Barthelemy, and C. Froehly, “Time resolved spectral interferometry for single shot femtosecond characterization,” Opt. Commun.261(1), 124–129 (2006). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• S. Akturk, M. Kimmel, P. O’Shea, and R. Trebino, “Measuring spatial chirp in ultrashort pulses using single-shot frequency-resolved optical gating,” Opt. Express11(1), 68–78 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• T. Le, G. Tempea, Z. Cheng, M. Hofer, and A. Stingl, “Routes to fiber delivery of ultra-short laser pulses in the 25 fs regime,” Opt. Express17(3), 1240–1247 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• T. H. Dou, R. Tautz, X. Gu, G. Marcus, T. Feurer, F. Krausz, and L. Veisz, “Dispersion control with reflection grisms of an ultra-broadband spectrum approaching a full octave,” Opt. Express18(26), 27900–27909 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Buettner, U. Buenting, D. Wandt, J. Neumann, and D. Kracht, “Ultrafast double-slab regenerative amplifier with combined gain spectra and intracavity dispersion compensation,” Opt. Express18(21), 21973–21980 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• E. A. Gibson, D. M. Gaudiosi, H. C. Kapteyn, R. Jimenez, S. Kane, R. Huff, C. Durfee, and J. Squier, “Efficient reflection grisms for pulse compression and dispersion compensation of femtosecond pulses,” Opt. Lett.31(22), 3363–3365 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• C. Lefort, T. Mansuryan, F. Louradour, and A. Barthelemy, “Pulse compression and fiber delivery of 45 fs Fourier transform limited pulses at 830 nm,” Opt. Lett.36(2), 292–294 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Moenster, G. Steinmeyer, R. Iliew, F. Lederer, and K. Petermann, “Analytical relation between effective mode field area and waveguide dispersion in microstructure fibers,” Opt. Lett.31(22), 3249–3251 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• T. Le, J. Bethge, J. Skibina, and G. Steinmeyer, “Hollow fiber for flexible sub-20-fs pulse delivery,” Opt. Lett.36(4), 442–444 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. G. Ouzounov, K. D. Moll, M. A. Foster, W. R. Zipfel, W. W. Webb, and A. L. Gaeta, “Delivery of nanojoule femtosecond pulses through large-core microstructured fibers,” Opt. Lett.27(17), 1513–1515 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• C. C. Chang, H. P. Sardesai, and A. M. Weiner, “Dispersion-free fiber transmission for femtosecond pulses by use of a dispersion-compensating fiber and a programmable pulse shaper,” Opt. Lett.23(4), 283–285 (1998). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Tsang, D. Psaltis, and F. G. Omenetto, “Reverse propagation of femtosecond pulses in optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.28(20), 1873–1875 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. H. Lee, A. L. Cavalieri, D. M. Fritz, M. Myaing, and D. A. Reis, “Adaptive dispersion compensation for remote fiber delivery of near-infrared femtosecond pulses,” Opt. Lett.29(22), 2602–2604 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Z. Jiang, S. D. Yang, D. E. Leaird, and A. M. Weiner, “Fully dispersion-compensated ~500 fs pulse transmission over 50 km single-mode fiber,” Opt. Lett.30(12), 1449–1451 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. A

• S. J. Im, A. Husakou, and J. Herrmann, “Soliton delivery of few-cycle optical gigawatt pulses in Kagome-lattice hollow-core photonic crystal fibers,” Phys. Rev. A82(2), 025801 (2010). [CrossRef]

Rev. Sci. Instrum.

• S. A. Crooker, “Fiber-coupled antennas for ultrafast coherent terahertz spectroscopy in low temperatures and high magnetic fields,” Rev. Sci. Instrum.73(9), 3258–3264 (2002). [CrossRef]

Sov. J. Quantum Electron.

• N. L. Markaryan, L. K. Muradyan, and T. A. Papazyan, “Spectral compression of ultrashort laser pulses,” Sov. J. Quantum Electron.21(7), 783–785 (1991). [CrossRef]

Tissue Eng. Part B Rev.

• A. T. Yeh, H. Gibbs, J.-J. Hu, and A. M. Larson, “Advances in nonlinear optical microscopy for visualizing dynamic tissue properties in culture,” Tissue Eng. Part B Rev.14(1), 119–131 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• N. K. T. Photonics, “LMA fiber dispersion overview,” http://www.nktphotonics.com/files/files/LMA_fiber_dispersion_overview.pdf
• G. P. Agrawal, Nonlinear Fiber Optics, (Academic Press, 2001).
• L. Kh. Muradyan, N. L. Markaryan, T. A. Papazyan, and A. A. Ohanyan, “Self-action of chirped pulses: spectral compression,” Conf. on Lasers and Electro-Optics US., Tech. Dig. CTUH32, 120–121 (1990).
• S. Ramachandran, J. W. Nicholson, S. Ghalmi, M. F. Yan, P. Wisk, E. Monberg, and F. V. Dimarcello, “Robust, single-moded, broadband transmission and pulse compression in a record Aeff (2100 μm2) higher-order-mode fiber,” ECOC Conf. 6, 37–38 (2005).

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