Pulse compression via cascaded SBS and α-Al2O3 nanosheet enhanced LIB

The leading-edge based stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) pulse compression technology is increasingly being recognized as a significant advancement for the generation of high-energy short-pulse lasers. Trailing-edge based laser-induced breakdown (LIB) compression is anticipated to be an effective supplement to SBS, helping to overcome its compression limitations. In this study, we integrated SBS and LIB to generate a high-power, short-pulse laser, thereby surpassing the compression constraints of SBS. Furthermore, we enhanced LIB by doping the LIB medium with α-Al2O3 nanosheets obtained through molten salt synthesis. As a result, we have successfully compressed the pulse duration from 8ns to 241ps, achieving relatively symmetrical leading and trailing edges. Moreover, compared to pure water, we obtained a higher quality far-field light spot. •Cascading SBS and LIB for pulse compression.•Enhancing the LIB process through thermal effects.•Fabricating doped α-Al2O3 nanosheets to enhance the LIB process.•Improved the far-field distribution of the beam.•Obtained laser output with a shorter pulse duration.