Nondegenerate optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier

1. A system for producing a useful optical pulse, comprising:

a source of an input pump pulse;

a source of a signal pulse;

a first dichroic beamsplitter for receiving said input pump pulse and said signal pulse, said first dichroic beamsplitter being highly reflective for said signal pulse and highly transmissive for said input pump pulse;

a first optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal for receiving said signal pulse and input pump pulse, said input pump pulse having energy and said first optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal transferring part of said energy to said signal pulse to produce a first amplified signal pulse and a first depleted pump pulse;

a second dichroic beamsplitter for receiving said first amplified signal pulse and said first depleted pump pulse, said second dichroic beamsplitter being highly reflective for said first amplified signal pulse and highly transmissive for said first depleted pump pulse;

a second optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal for receiving said first amplified signal pulse and said first depleted pump pulse, said first depleted pump pulse having energy and said first optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal transferring part of said energy to said first amplified signal pulse to produce a second amplified signal pulse and a second depleted pump pulse; and

a third dichroic beamsplitter for receiving said second amplified signal pulse and said second depleted pump pulse wherein said second depleted pump pulse is discarded and said second amplified signal pulse results in said useful optical pulse.

2. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 1 wherein said source of an input pump pulse comprises a mode-locked oscillator that produces a short pulse and a pulse stretcher that receives said short pulse and stretches said short pulse to produce said input pump pulse.

3. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 1 wherein said source of a signal pulse comprises a pump laser.

4. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 1 wherein said source of a signal pulse comprises a pump laser and an imaging telescope.

5. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 4 wherein said imaging telescope comprises two convex lenses.

6. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 1 including a pulse compressor for receiving said second amplified signal pulse and compressing said second amplified signal pulse producing a recompressed amplified pulse resulting in said useful optical pulse.

7. A system for producing a useful optical pulse, comprising:

means for producing an input pump pulse;

means for producing a signal pulse;

first dichroic beamsplitter means for receiving said input pump pulse and

said signal pulse, said first dichroic beamsplitter means being highly reflective for said input signal pulse and highly transmissive for said input pump pulse;

first optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal means for receiving said signal pulse and input pump pulse, said input pump pulse having energy and said first optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal means transferring part of said energy to said input signal pulse to produce a first amplified signal pulse and a first depleted pump pulse;

second dichroic beamsplitter means for receiving said first amplified signal pulse and said first depleted pump pulse, said second dichroic beamsplitter being highly reflective for said first amplified signal pulse and highly transmissive for said first depleted pump pulse;

second optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal means for receiving said first amplified signal pulse and said first depleted pump pulse, said first depleted pump pulse having energy and said second optical parametric amplifier nonlinear crystal means transferring part of said energy to said first amplified signal pulse to produce a second amplified signal pulse and a second depleted pump pulse;

third dichroic beamsplitter means for receiving said second amplified signal pulse and said second depleted pump pulse wherein said second depleted pump pulse is discarded and said second amplified signal pulse results in said useful optical pulse.

8. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 7 wherein said means for producing an input pump pulse comprises a mode-locked oscillator that produces a short pulse and a pulse stretcher that receives said short pulse and stretches said short pulse to produce said input pump pulse.

9. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 7 wherein said means for producing a signal pulse comprises a pump laser.

10. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 7 wherein said means for producing a signal pulse comprises a pump laser and an imaging telescope.

11. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 10 wherein said imaging telescope comprises two convex lenses.

12. The system for producing a useful optical pulse of claim 7 including pulse compressor means for receiving said second amplified signal pulse and compressing said second amplified signal pulse producing a recompressed amplified pulse resulting in said useful optical pulse.