Q-Peak has demonstrated a novel pulsed eyesafe laser architecture operating with >50 mJ pulse energies at Pulse Repetition Frequencies (PRFs) as high as 320 Hz. The design leverages an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) and Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA) geometry, which provides the unique capability for high power in a comparatively compact package, while also offering the potential for additional eyesafe power scaling. The laser consists of a Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Q-switched front-end seed laser to produce pulse-widths around 10 ns at 1.06-μm, which is then followed by a pair of Multi-Pass Amplifier (MPA) architectures (comprised of side-pumped, multi-pass Nd:YAG slabs with a compact diode-pump-array imaging system), and finally involving two sequential nonlinear optical conversion architectures for transfer into the eyesafe regime. The initial seed beam is first amplified through the MPA, and then split into parallel optical paths. An OPO provides effective nonlinear conversion on one optical path, while a second MPA further amplifies the 1.06-μm beam for use in pumping an OPA on the second optical path. These paths are then recombined prior to seeding the OPA. Each nonlinear conversion subsystem utilizes Potassium Titanyl Arsenate (KTA) for effective nonlinear conversion with lower risk to optical damage. This laser architecture efficiently produces pulse energies of >50 mJ in the eyesafe band at PRFs as high as 320 Hz, and has been designed to fit within a volume of 4,500 in3 (0.074 m3 ). We will discuss theoretical and experimental details of the nonlinear optical system for achieving higher eyesafe powers.
Q-peak has demonstrated a compact, pulsed eyesafe laser architecture operating with >10 mJ pulse energies at repetition rates as high as 160 Hz. The design leverages an end-pumped solid-state laser geometry to produce adequate eyesafe beam quality (M2∼4), while also providing a path toward higher-density laser architectures for pulsed eyesafe applications. The baseline discussed in this paper has shown a unique capability for high-pulse repetition rates in a compact package, and offers additional potential for power scaling based on birefringence compensation. The laser consists of an actively Q-switched oscillator cavity producing pulse widths <30 ns, and utilizing an end-pumped Nd:YAG gain medium with a rubidium titanyl phosphate electro-optical crystal. The oscillator provides an effective front-end-seed for an optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which utilizes potassium titanyl arsenate in a linear OPO geometry. This laser efficiently operates in the eyesafe band, and has been designed to fit within a volume of 3760 cm3. We will discuss details of the optical system design, modeled thermal effects and stress-induced birefringence, as well as experimental advantages of the end-pumped laser geometry, along with proposed paths to higher eyesafe pulse energies.
Q-Peak has demonstrated a novel, compact, pulsed eyesafe laser architecture operating with <10 mJ pulse energies at repetition rates as high as 160 Hz. The design leverages an end-pumped solid-state laser geometry to produce adequate eyesafe beam quality (M2 ~4), while also providing a path towards higher-density laser architectures for pulsed eyesafe applications. The baseline discussed in this paper has shown a unique capability for high pulse repetition rates in a compact package, and offers additional potential for power scaling based on birefringence compensation. The laser consists of an actively Q-switched oscillator cavity producing pulse-widths <30 ns, and utilizing an end-pumped Nd: YAG gain medium with a Rubidium Titanyl Phosphate (RTP) electro-optical crystal. The oscillator provides an effective front-end-seed for an optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which utilizes Potassium Titanyl Arsenate (KTA) in a linear OPO geometry. This laser efficiently operates in the eyesafe band, and has been designed to fit within a volume of 3760 cm3. We will discuss details of the optical system design, modeled thermal effects and stress-induced birefringence, as well as experimental advantages of the end-pumped laser geometry, along with proposed paths to higher eyesafe pulse energies.
X-ray telescopes use grazing incidence mirrors to focus X-ray photons from celestial objects. To achieve the large
collecting areas required to image faint sources, thousands of thin, doubly curved mirrors are arranged in nested
cylindrical shells to approximate a filled aperture. These mirrors require extremely smooth surfaces with precise figures
to provide well-focused beams and small image spot sizes. The Generation-X telescope proposed by SAO would have a
12-meter aperture, a 50 m2 collecting area and 0.1 arc-second spatial resolution. This resolution would be obtained by
actively controlling the mirror figure with piezoelectric actuators deposited on the back of each 0.4 mm thick mirror
segment. To support SAO’s Generation-X study, Northrop Grumman used internal funds to look at the feasibility of
using Xinetics deformable mirror technologies to meet the Generation-X requirements. We designed and fabricated two
10 x 30 cm Platinum-coated silicon mirrors with 108 surface-parallel electrostrictive Lead Magnesium Niobate (PMN)
actuators bonded to the mirror substrates. These mirrors were tested at optical wavelengths by Xinetics to assess the
actuator’s performance, but no funds were available for X-ray tests. In 2013, after receiving an invitation to evaluate the
mirror’s performance at Argonne National Laboratory, the mirrors were taken out of storage, refurbished, retested at
Xinetics and transported to ANL for metrology measurements with a Long Trace Profilometer, a Fizeau laser
interferometer, and X-ray tests. This paper describes the development and testing of the adaptive x-ray mirrors at AOAXinetics.
Marathe, et al, will present the results of the tests at Argonne.
AOA Xinetics (AOX) has been at the forefront of Deformable Mirror (DM) technology development for over two
decades. In this paper the current state of that technology is reviewed and the particular strengths and weaknesses of the
various DM architectures are presented. Emphasis is placed on the requirements for DMs applied to the correction of
high-energy and high average power lasers. Mirror designs optimized for the correction of typical thermal lensing effects
in diode pumped solid-state lasers will be detailed and their capabilities summarized. Passive thermal management
techniques that allow long laser run times to be supported will also be discussed.
Grazing-incidence optics for X-ray applications require extremely smooth surfaces with precise mirror figures to provide well focused beams and small image spot sizes for astronomical telescopes and laboratory test facilities. The required precision has traditionally been achieved by time-consuming grinding and polishing of thick substrates with frequent pauses for precise metrology to check the mirror figure. More recently, substrates with high quality surface finish and figures have become available at reasonable cost, and techniques have been developed to mechanically adjust the figure of these traditionally polished substrates for ground-based applications. The beam-bending techniques currently in use are mechanically complex, however, with little control over mid-spatial frequency errors. AOA-Xinetics has been developing been developing techniques for shaping grazing incidence optics with surface-normal and surface-parallel electrostrictive Lead magnesium niobate (PMN) actuators bonded to mirror substrates for several years. These actuators are highly reliable; exhibit little to no hysteresis, aging or creep; and can be closely spaced to correct low and mid-spatial frequency errors in a compact package. In this paper we discuss recent development of adaptive x-ray optics at AOA-Xinetics.
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