2.6 mJ/100 Hz CEP-stable near-single-cycle 4 μm laser based on OPCPA and hollow-core fiber compression.

A carrier-envelope-phase-stable near-single-cycle mid-infrared laser based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification and hollow-core fiber compression is demonstrated. A 4 μm laser pulse with 11.8 mJ energy is delivered from a KTA-based optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) with 100 Hz repetition rate, and compressed to 105 fs by a two-grating compressor with efficiency over 50%. Subsequently, the pulse spectrum is broadened by employing a krypton gas-filled hollow-core fiber. Then, the pulse duration is further compressed to 21.5 fs through a CaF2 bulk material with energy of 2.6 mJ and energy stability of 0.9% RMS, which is about 1.6 cycles for a 4 μm laser pulse. The carrier envelope phase of the near-single-cycle 4 μm laser pulse is passively stabilized with 370 mrad.