Competing processes in optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

Optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) has the potential to revolutionise the generation of high power ultrashort optical pulses. In this paper, we present the results of a numerical investigation into processes that potentially compete with OPCPA. Specifically, we examine group velocity dispersion, non-degenerate operation, background noise, pump pulse fluctuations, and compressor error. We also discuss the “local approximation” and show that, in the case of OPCPA, it offers a substantial advantage in computational speed for minimal cost in accuracy. The overall conclusion is that OPCPA is fundamentally robust, and that the processes studied pose a less serious problem than might have been expected.