Abstract: A bulk compressor for use in a chirped pulse amplification system (CPA) comprising a tunable pulse stretcher and an amplifier is provided. The bulk compressor includes a mounting block formed as a monolithic structure and made of solid material. The mounting block may define a plurality of mounting surfaces each forming a collar surrounding a light passage. Optical components are mounted on the mounting block in a fixed mutual spatial relationship, each optical component having a front face having a peripheral portion mounted in direct contact with the collar formed by a respective one of the mounting surfaces. The bulk compressor may be provided as a stand-alone component, a part of a stretcher-compressor pair or a full CPA system, and may be used in a method for amplifying input optical pulses.

Abstract: An ice pack generally shaped as a rectangular cuboid is provided. The ice pack has a first face and a second face which are parallel to each other, each face comprising attachment means adapted to be removably attached to the face of another ice pack generally shaped as a 5 rectangular cuboid, configured to create a grid forming a plurality of open spaces. An ice pack grid system for a plurality of items is also provided. The system has a plurality of ice packs of different lengths, each ice pack having at least one slit running substantially halfway across the ice pack's width, and each ice pack being sized so that the slit can straddle the width of another ice pack and thus interlock in a perpendicular configuration so as to create a grid 0 pattern forming a plurality of spaces to receive items to be cooled.

Abstract: A bulk compressor for use in a chirped pulse amplification system (CPA) comprising a tunable pulse stretcher and an amplifier is provided. The bulk compressor includes a mounting block formed as a monolithic structure and made of solid material. The mounting block may define a plurality of mounting surfaces each forming a collar surrounding a light passage. Optical components are mounted on the mounting block in a fixed mutual spatial relationship, each optical component having a front face having a peripheral portion mounted in direct contact with the collar formed by a respective one of the mounting surfaces. The bulk compressor may be provided as a stand-alone component, a part of a stretcher-compressor pair or a full CPA system, and may be used in a method for amplifying input optical pulses.