Spectra Physics vs. Coherent in the femtosecond domain

[Gonçalo Figueira]

Hi there,

I'm looking forward to buying a ~100-femtosecond oscillator at 1053 nm to be
used at the front-end of a mixed Ti:sapphire - Nd:glass Terawatt laser chain
operating at that wavelength. The choices I'm facing consist of Spectra
Physics (10 W Millenia pumped Tsunami) vs. Coherent (10 W Verdi pumped
Mira). I'm sure other people have dealt with this choice in the past (maybe
not too many at this particular wavelength), so if anyone could provide me
with some valuable information about their good/bad experiences with either
of these two systems I would be most thankful.

Best regards,

G. Figueira
http://cfp.ist.utl.pt/golp

[Matthew Comstock]

I work with a K/M oscillator myself, but a few groups down the hall from me use
the lasers you are talking about (although at 800nm). I have heard more good
than bad about both systems, but I think my coworkers find the Mira to be a
little more cramped in its design than the Tsunami. However, those same people
like the Millenia better than their Verdi pump laser. (The Millenia seems a bit
more stable to temperature fluctuations.) Both are using only 5W pumping lasers,
and are working at 800nm, so any specifics beyond basic design will be different
in your case. Neither group has had any real trouble with the lasers.
--
Matthew Comstock
50 Chemistry Bldg
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, 48824
(517)-355-9715 x315
FAX: 517-353-1793

[bob]

have you looked into modelocked glass sources to seed your front end? they
can provide similar performance at 1053nm and would cost a fair bit less
than the ti:saphire route
I'll dig up some links for bedors if you would like...

Gonçalo Figueira wrote in message <9j9qe0$q3n$1...@utl2.reitoria.utl.pt>...

[Gonçalo Figueira]

"bob" <nom...@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<Q0%57.1545$ZM4.1...@paloalto-snr1.gtei.net>...

> have you looked into modelocked glass sources to seed your front end? they
> can provide similar performance at 1053nm and would cost a fair bit less
> than the ti:saphire route
> I'll dig up some links for bedors if you would like...

Thanks - I'm already aware of such options e.g. Time-Bandwidth from
Switzerland (www.tbwp.com) provides very fine semiconductor saturable
absorber modelocked (SESAM) Nd:glass-based ultrafast lasers at near
this wavelength. Don't know about prices, but I believe KLM
Ti:sapphire oscillators are by far more established for this purpose.

Goncalo.