Toward a sub-terawatt mid-IR (4–5μm) femtosecond hybrid laser system based on parametric seed pulse generation and amplification in Fe2+:ZnSe

For the first time, an experimentally measured seed pulse gain of about 2 cm−1 allows possibilities in the scaling power of such a femtosecond laser system in terawatts. The concept of a subterawatt power level hybrid femtosecond mid-IR (4–5 μm) laser system, based on a weak pulse from an optical parametric mid-IR seeder that is amplified in chalcogenide monocrystalline Fe2+:ZnSe, to gain medium has been proposed and designed. The method and approach for optimizing the choice of nonlinear medium, its length, and the required light intensity for the efficient non-linear self-compression of an ultrashort pulse has also been proposed and considered.