Development of a compact efficient 10 Hz 20 TW Ti:sapphire laser system with a 1 kHz regenerative amplifier

We have constructed a compact efficient Ti:sapphire laser system that generates 30 fs, 630 mJ pulses at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. A new geometry for a single-stage multipass power amplifier is proposed that greatly weakens and even makes use of thermal lensing. Such geometry can realize high output in a single-stage power amplifier; otherwise at least two-stage power amplifiers are required. The new configuration simplifies the laser system and reduces the cost. The key point in this design is that the beam spot size evolution is considered in combination with the pulse amplification.