Generation of 2 terawatt sub-8 fs laser pulses using optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

We demonstrate the generation of near-Fourier-limited 7.6 fs laser pulses with an intensity of 2 terawatt at 30 Hz repetition rate, using noncollinear optical parametric chirped pulse amplification. A spectrum as wide as 3 10 nm from a 6.2 fs oscillator laser has been amplified. Compression close to the Fourier-limit of 7.3 fs is achieved with a grating compressor and an LCD phase shaper. Amplified fluorescence is kept below 0.2%, with a pre-pulse contrast of 2 x 10(-8) on picosecond timescales.