Experimental results on ultra-broadband OPCPA

Summary form only given. Optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) has proven to be a promising technique to amplify short laser pulses. A mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser, centred at 1050 nm, is spectrum-broadened in a 5 m long photonic crystal fibre providing up to 500 nm bandwidth pulses. A pair of gratings, a lens and the mirror creates the proper angular dispersion for optimum broadband phase matching of the signal in a BBO non-linear crystal. The pump is the second harmonic of a regeneratively amplified 1050 nm beam, with a smooth temporal profile.