Patent ID: 7729045

Claim:
An amplifier chain for generating ultrashort pulses of different pulse durations, comprising: a stretcher for stretching an incident pulse to create a stretched pulse, the stretcher comprising a first dispersive element selectively operable at two positions, and an angle of incidence in one of the positions is equal to an angle of diffraction in the other of the positions, and vice versa; an amplifying medium for amplifying said stretched pulse to create an amplified pulse; a compressor for compressing said amplified pulse, the compressor comprising a second dispersive element selectively operable at two positions, and an angle of incidence in one of the positions is equal to an angle of diffraction in the other of the positions, and vice versa; and a rotating device configured to selectively move said first dispersive element between the two positions of the first dispersive element, and selectively move said second dispersive element between the two positions of the second dispersive element.