Revolutionary Laser Pulses Break World Records

ETH Zurich researchers, led by Ursula Keller, have achieved a breakthrough in laser technology by developing a new laser capable of producing the strongest ultra-short laser pulses to date. This laser generates peak powers of up to 100 megawatts and averages 550 watts of power. Such high-power pulses can facilitate precision measurements and advanced materials processing. The innovation stems from an optimized arrangement of mirrors and the use of a particular mirror called SESAM (Semiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror), which enables the emission of short pulses by reflecting light more efficiently based on its intensity.

These groundbreaking pulses last less than a picosecond and are emitted at a rate of five million pulses per second. The improvements in laser design and pulse generation are part of a 25-year effort to enhance pulsed disk lasers, aimed at making them more reliable and powerful. The potential applications for this technology are vast, ranging from creating attosecond pulses to generating terahertz radiation for testing materials. Keller anticipates that future work will explore even shorter pulse durations while adding that the new laser system highlights the advantages of laser oscillators over traditional amplifier-based systems.



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