Abstract:
The MURI Mid-IR project is a collaboration between US and UK research groups to further our understanding of high-intensity laser-matter interactions in the "mid-infrared" region, which will operate between the 1 μm petawatt and 10 μm multi-terawatt lasers at the forefront of current laser technology. In this talk we will discuss this current state of laser technology and discuss viable methods to generate ultrafast mid-infrared sources that will underpin this research. We will also discuss ongoing developments of a few-cycle synchronous 0.8 + 1.05 + 3.3 μm ultrafast OPO and following 0.8 + 1.6 + 3.3 μm OPCPA multi-terawatt amplification system at Imperial College. With each of these optically locked wave-bands able to be focussed to >10 W/cm peak-intensity, this will be a unique source for particle acceleration investigations in this new interaction regime.
