title: Automatic time delay optimization between the pump and seed pulses of a broadly tunable femtosecond optical parametric amplifier.
abstract: We propose a scheme for optimizing the time delay between the pump and seed pulses of an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) over a large spectral range. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated for a femtosecond BBO parametric amplifier seeded with a white-light continuum pulse. The error signal used for intensity stabilization results from a modulation of the temporal delay between the pump and the continuum pulses and phase-sensitive detection of the amplified signal. It allows us to lock the delay to the position that maximizes the OPA gain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freysz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plantard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gillet
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rassoul
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grelu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ducasse