Carrier-envelope-phase-stabilized femtosecond laser (CEP stabilized laser)

CPV codes

Description

The procurement concerns a highly specialised laser system for research experiments requiring attosecond time precision. The system must be capable of delivering amplified ultrashort laser pulses with a pulse duration below 40 fs and a pulse energy of at least 1 mJ. In addition, it is a mandatory technical requirement that the system is carrier-envelope-phase-stabilised (CEP-stabilised), so that the phase between the oscillations of the laser field (“carrier”) and the pulse envelope (“envelope”) can be controlled. CEP stabilisation is necessary for the planned experiments, as the experiments require reproducible control of the laser field phase with attosecond time precision. Without active CEP stabilisation, the planned experiments cannot be carried out with the required precision and reproducibility. The minimum technical requirements for the laser system are: - pulse duration below 40 fs, - pulse energy of at least 1 mJ, - CEP phase stability below 300 mrad measured over at least 1 hour of continuous operation, - tunable OPA module for wavelength variation. The OPA module must form an integrated part of the laser system, as the overall functionality, CEP stability, synchronisation and experimental applicability of the system require technical integration between the laser and the OPA module. It is in particular the requirement for documented CEP phase stability, in combination with the requirements for pulse duration and pulse energy, that limits the market. The market investigation shows that standard femtosecond lasers without active CEP stabilisation cannot meet the research need. As part of the market investigation, the contracting authority has investigated relevant suppliers of amplified femtosecond lasers and CEP-stabilised laser systems. Spectra Physics confirmed by email of 28 May 2026 that it no longer offers a relevant CEP-stabilised system. Coherent similarly confirmed by email of 27 May 2026 that it no longer offers such a product. The other suppliers investigated as part of the market investigation have not been able to offer or document an available solution that meets the required overall combination of requirements. The contracting authority has assessed whether the need can be met by reasonable alternative solutions, including standard femtosecond lasers without CEP stabilisation, external CEP modules, component-based solutions, a separate OPA module or access to an external facility. These alternatives are not considered to constitute reasonable substitutes, as they cannot document the required combination of pulse duration, pulse energy, CEP phase stability and tunability, or because they entail an unacceptable technical risk for the planned experiments. The requirements have been defined on the basis of the necessary research-related functional needs and not with the aim of favouring a specific supplier or a specific make. If other suppliers were able to document a solution with equivalent functionality, such solutions would be capable of meeting the need. However, the market investigation has not identified any other currently commercially available solutions. On this basis, Light Conversion is considered to be the only identified economic operator currently capable of supplying a commercially available laser system that meets the necessary minimum requirements. It is therefore the contracting authority’s assessment that the contract can be supplied only by a particular economic operator due to the absence of competition for technical reasons, cf. section 80(3)(2) of the Danish Public Procurement Act. The contracting authority further assesses that no reasonable alternative or substitute exists, and that the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing of the procurement terms, cf. section 80(4) of the Danish Public Procurement Act.

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