Synchronous, dual-wavelength, injection-seeded amplification of 5-ns pulses in a flash-lamp-pumped Ti : sapphire laser

The outputs of two cw diode lasers are coupled into a flash-lamp-pumped Ti: sapphire laser cavity for regenerative amplification. Slices of each seed b eam are simultaneously trapped in the cavity and amplified for approximatel y 33 round trips. The output is a 4.7-ns pulse, the total pulse energy is 1 10 mJ, and linewidths are only 50% greater than the Fourier-transform limit . The timing jitter between the pulses at the two wavelengths is less than +/-75 ps, and their relative energy is controlled by adjustment of the seed power of the cw diode lasers. Gain competition between the two frequencies does not lead to instabilities. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America OCIS c ode: 140.0140.