Bulk-based nonlinear pulse compression of 30 mJ and 150 W pulses of an ultrafast thin-disk amplifier

We report footprint-preserving energy scaling of bulk-based multi-pass cell (MPC) spectral broadening from 10 mJ to 30 mJ pulse energy. By deliberately operating the MPC significantly closer to the resonator stability edge, an operational regime typically considered unfavorable, we enable substantially larger beam diameters and achieve a threefold energy increase. Using 24 fused-silica plates in a single-pass configuration, we demonstrate compressibility from 465 fs to 93 fs with 87% optical efficiency and M² < 1.5. Assuming full-power compression, the output corresponds to ∼250 GW peak power. These results highlight stability-edge operation as a key enabler for compact, high-energy bulk-based nonlinear pulse compression.