KEYWORDS: Optical amplifiers, Picosecond phenomena, Near field optics, Mirrors, Diagnostics, Near field, Silicates, Pulsed laser operation, Glasses, High power lasers
We present details of a refurbishment and development programme that we have undertaken on the Vulcan Nd:Glass laser system to improve delivery to its two target areas. For target area petawatt in addition to replacing the gratings in the compressor chamber we have installed a new diagnostic line for improved pulse length measurement and commissioned a high energy seed system to improve contrast. In target area west we have replaced a grating on the high energy short pulse line and improved the focal spot quality. Both areas have been re-commissioned and their laser parameters measured showing that the pulse in petawatt has been measured below 500fs and focused to a spot size of 4μm the two short pulse beam lines in target area west have been measured as short as 1ps and have been focused to 5μm.
Here we present recent progress from the new CLF
Adaptive Optics program including a new development laboratory
and tests of a high damage threshold dielectric deformable mirror.
The recently refurbished laboratory has versatile optical layout,
multi wavelength, large beam diameter and large propagation
distance (~10 m) for testing deformable mirrors up to 150 mm
diameter, as well as manufacturing capabilities.
The achievement of high contrast, high efficiency OPCPA systems has been a long established goal. We achieve close to
~20% conversion in a picosecond OPCPA system. This is now the standard seed for our petawatt pre-amplifier laser
system which had a conventional 108 nanosecond gain. We thereby eliminate the need to the first nanosecond gain stage.
We achieve a contrast at the 10-8 level when using the petawatt system in this configuration. We have also demonstrated
a second stage of picosecond amplification with an extra gain of >2, maintaining the bandwidth and transform limited
nature of the pulses, providing the potential for further improvements.
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