title: Circular versus linear polarization in laser-amplifiers with Kerr-nonlinearity.
abstract: In this contribution it is reported that circularly polarized light is advantageous if the Kerr-effect has to be minimized during laser-amplification. The experimental demonstration is based on a fiber CPA-system. The different polarization states result in different B-integrals, which are measured using phase-only pulse-shaping. The theoretical value of 2/3 for the ratio of the B-integrals of circularly and linearly polarized light is experimentally verified. In laser-amplifiers circularly polarized light reduces the detrimental impact of the Kerr-nonlinearity, and thus, increases the peak-power and the self-focussing threshold.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Albert-Einstein-Str 15, D-07745 Jena, Germany. damian.schimpf@uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Damian N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Schimpf
authors.forename: Tino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eidam
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seise
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hädrich
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limpert
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tünnermann