  The output of a 200 kHz, 34 W, 300 fs Yb amplifier is compressed to 31 fs
with > 88 % efficiency to reach a peak power of 2.5 GW, which to date is a
record for a single-stage bulk multi-pass cell. Despite operation 80 times
above the critical power for self-focusing in bulk material, the setup
demonstrates excellent preservation of the input beam quality. Extensive beam
and pulse characterizations are performed to show that the compressed pulses
are promising drivers for high harmonic generation and nonlinear optics in
gases or solids.
