Maximizing Conversion Efficiency in 3 μm Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplifier with Pulse Front Tilt

We explore the application of the pulse front tilt (PFT) technique to enhance the conversion efficiency of optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers (OPCPA) operating at 3 μm wavelength. The improved OPCPA performance is crucial for generating multi-mJ, few-cycle pulses capable of driving coherent soft X-ray sources beyond the water window (500–900 eV) through high harmonic generation (HHG). This spectral region is of great interest for applications in accessing the (magnetically dichroic) L-absorption edges of 3d metals in a laboratory setup.