Zero-phonon-line pumped 100-kHz Yb:YAG thin disk regenerative amplifier

We are developing 100-kHz picosecond Yb:YAG thin disk regenerative amplifier with 500-W average power for medical and industrial applications. Especially in case of the next generation of semiconductor lithography, high average power solid-state laser with picosecond pulse duration as pre pulse source is a key element to realize 1-kW EUV lithography source. We compared the output characteristics of CW laser operation pumped at 940-nm and 969-nm, and measured the surface temperature of thin disk. We found that the surface temperature of thin disk pumped at 960-nm was much lower than that pumped at 940-nm. We obtained 83-W output from thin disk regenerative amplifier at the repetition rate of 100-kHz pumped at 969-nm. The measured pulse duration was 1.9-ps.