33449-1B-ACAN - TI:SA REGENERATIVE AMPLIFIER LASER SYSTEM FOR COHERENT SOFT X-RAY PHOTONICS

THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA - ADVANCED AWARD CONTRACT NOTICE – 33449-1B-ACAN
Ti:Sa Regenerative Amplifier Laser System for coherent Soft X-ray
photonics
 
BACKGROUND:
Notice is hereby given by the University of Ottawa of the intent to enter into a contract with Coherent for an ultrafast Titanium:Sapphire Regenerative Amplifier laser system. This system will provide the seed source for a funded project on coherent soft X-ray photonics.
  
The general aims of the Coherent soft X-ray photonics project are: 
Ultrafast X-ray Light Source: To create high-energy diffraction-limited ultrafast X-ray pulses reaching photon energies > 500 eV at high repetition rate (1 and 10 kHz) for probing and imaging the ultrafast electron dynamics of atoms, molecules or solids while identifying the atomic constituents through the X-ray absorption spectrum. Advanced Laser Processing Research Facility: To use a thin disk YB: YAG laser system directly as a test bed for advanced manufacturing and laser materials processing research. The first aim drives the functionality requirements for a Ti:Sa regenerative amplifier laser system.
 
We require a high stability ultrafast Ti:Sa regenerative amplifier laser systems to:
 
Provide a highly stable 800 nm pump pulse for a subsequent optical parametric amplifier (OPA) which yields a fs 1.8-2.1 micron ‘idler’ output.
 
PROCESS;
Suppliers who consider their equipment functional, successfully tested, readily available and fully compliant to the ACAN minimum requirements may submit in writing a statement of specifications to the contact person identified in this Notice, on or before the closing date of this Notice.  In the statement of specifications, the supplier must unequivocally demonstrate how their equipment, at minimum, equals, or exceeds the stated requirements.
 
If no other supplier submits a statement of specifications, on or before the closing date of this Notice, the competitive requirements of the University of Ottawa will be considered to have been met.
Following notification to suppliers not successful in unequivocally demonstrating that their statement of specifications equals or exceeds the requirements set out in this Notice, the contract will be awarded to the pre-identified supplier.
Date of issue:    January 25, 2018
Closing Date:    February 20th, 2018, at 3:00:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
 
INTENDED USE:
 
Functionality of the system:
Due to the complexity of our measurements, we require a highly stable laser system that meets critical parameters. The laser must provide pulses of the right characteristics as stably, consistently and reliably as possible. In essence, we need a laser, which meets certain specifications with the highest degree of quality assurance. The laser system must meet certain standards of quality and design integrity, which the vendor must be able to prove.
All components of the system operating at all repetition rates must offer high reliability and ease of servicing, to allow stable long-term operation of the system with reproducible beam characteristics within a <1-hour warm-up period. Each system should be provided with a proposed maintenance schedule.
System specifications for 1 kHz Ti:Sa regenerative amplifier laser
1 - The laser’s interior diffraction gratings must be completely gasket-sealed inside a compartment with desiccant. In fact, all humidity sensitive components need to be properly sealed-off from the ambient lab environment. Diffraction gratings are particularly sensitive to lab humidity and will degrade quickly unless protected by a gasket seal. 
 
 
2 - We require that the laser employ only water-cooling (as opposed to thermo-electric cooling and/or cryogenic cooling) of the laser crystal(s). This removes the possibility of ice buildup on the crystal due to ambient humidity. Ice buildup contaminates the crystal and compromises performance. A single chiller for the system is strongly preferred.
3 - For quality assurance, the laser vendor must perform at least 6-axis, 10 g vibration tests with -10 to 40 C thermal cycling for 8 hours as a standard QA protocol on all production systems to ensure any and all defects in workmanship are screened prior to shipment.
4 – Other requirements: The system must meet or exceed the following technical requirements:
Centre Wavelength:  800 nm
Pulse Duration: <35 fs
Pulse Energy: >7.0 mJ
Repetition rate: 1 kHz
Energy Stability: <0.5% rms
Beam Quality: TEM00, M2 <1.25
Contrast Ratio:  Pre-pulse   >1000:1, Post-pulse  >100:1
Beam Pointing Stability: <10µrad rms
Beam Diameter:  11mm (1/e2)
Polarization:  Linear, horizontal 
Testing and procedures:
• To be installed in Ottawa by a skilled technician or scientist.
• Demonstration that all specifications are met upon installation.
• Must provide 5-year warranty.
• Must provide training for key researchers in Ottawa
• The vendor must provide a regular maintenance schedule as well as the replacement costs for major components
• Optical component layout of the system must be submitted with the proposal
Justification of Pre-Selected Supplier:
 
Supplier: Coherent Inc.

• Coherent Inc. has been a supplier of Ti:Sa ultrafast regenerative amplifiers to the University of Ottawa (previous contract # P0007392). The present contract is for additional deliveries by the original supplier (Coherent Inc.) that are the extension of these existing installations, where a change of supplier would compel the University of Ottawa to procure equipment not meeting requirements of interchangeability with already existing equipment.

• Any change in supplier would mean that the multi-year technical training that the PI (and Senior Lab Manager) has with Coherent Inc. regenerative amplifiers would be lost, including the specialized “in house” control software designed to interface the regenerative amplifier with unique molecular dynamics experimental infrastructure.

• Any change in supplier would require the development of new control software, amounting to a significant additional cost and effort for the University.