I. Will

Generation of flat-top picosecond pulses by coherent pulse stacking in a multicrystal birefringent filter

This paper deals with the pulse-shaping properties of birefringent filters that feature an optical layout similar to a Solc fan filter. A simple computational model is given that explains the pulse-shaping process in the fan filter in two steps: First, the input pulse is split into several mutually delayed replicas due to the birefringence of the crystals. Second, these replicas interfere at the output polarizer of the filter and form the shaped output pulse. Fine-tuning of the phases of the replicas of the input pulse is permitted by tuning the temperature of the crystals. A birefringent pulse shaper containing ten birefringent crystals was investigated experimentally. The shape of the output pulses was measured by means of a special cross-correlation technique. Although a variety of pulse shapes can be generated with the described filter, it is particularly well suited for generation of flattop pulses featuring a 20-ps-long plateau and rising and falling edges shorter than 2 ps.

The Photon Collider at Tesla

High energy photon colliders (γγ,γe) are based on e-e- linear colliders where high energy photons are produced using Compton scattering of laser light on high energy electrons just before the interaction point. This paper is a part of the Technical Design Report of the linear collider TESLA.1 Physics program, possible parameters and some technical aspects of the photon collider at TESLA are discussed.

TESLA Technical Design Report, Part VI, Chapter 1: The Photon Collider at TESLA

High energy photon colliders (γγ,γe) are based on e-e- linear colliders where high energy photons are produced using Compton scattering of laser light on high energy electrons just before the interaction point. This paper is a part of the Technical Design Report of the linear collider TESLA.1 Physics program, possible parameters and some technical aspects of the photon collider at TESLA are discussed.

Photoinjector drive laser of the FLASH FEL

The upgraded photoinjector drive laser of the free-electron laser facility FLASH at DESY Hamburg is described in this paper. This laser produces trains of 800 and 2400 ultraviolet picosecond pulses at 1 MHz and 3 MHz repetition rate in the trains, respectively. The amplifying elements of the system are Nd:YLF-rods, which are pumped by fiber-coupled semiconductor diodes. Compared to the flashlamp-pumped photocathode laser previously used at FLASH, the new diode-pumped laser features a better reliability and a significantly improved stability of its pulse parameters.

Design study of an optical cavity for a future photon collider at ILC

Hard photons well above 100 GeV have to be generated in a future photon-collider which essentially will be based on the infrastructure of the planned International Linear Collider (ILC). The energy of near-infrared laser photons will be boosted by Compton backscattering against a high energy relativistic electron beam. For high effectiveness, a very powerful lasersystem is required that exceeds todays state-of-the-art capabilities. In this paper a design of an auxiliary passive cavity is discussed that resonantly enhances the peak-power of the laser. The properties and prospects of such a cavity are addressed on the basis of the specifications for the European TeV Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator (TESLA) proposal. Those of the ILC are expected to be similar.

Influence of laser intensity and pulse duration on the extreme ultraviolet yield from a water jet target laser plasma

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission in the 11–15 nm wavelength range from a thin liquid water jet target under illumination with a high repetition rate, high average power laser (Nd-YLF) has been studied. To find the optimum conversion efficiency of laser light into EUV radiation, different laser parameters were applied. The laser intensity was varied between 1011 and 1015 W/cm2, and pulse duration in the range from 30 ps to 3 ns. A maximum conversion efficiency of 0.12% in 2.2% bandwidth and 4π steradian at 13 nm was achieved at a repetion rate of 250 kHz, and a strong dependence of the conversion efficiency on both laser intensity and pulse duration was found.

Efficient extreme ultraviolet emission from xenon-cluster jet targets at high repetition rate laser illumination

We studied extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission from Xe cluster jet targets irradiated with high repetitive ps and ns laser pulses in the intensity range between 1011 and 1015 W/cm2. It was found that at fixed intensity the conversion efficiency of the laser energy into the EUV emission is higher for ns pulses. In the intensity range used no saturation of the 13.4 nm signal could be reached. At ns pulse duration a conversion efficiency 0.26%@13.4 nm in 2π steradian and 2.2% bandwidth was reached. The laser energy deposition is discussed in relation to the plasma dynamics of the cluster target. We demonstrated that due to the high flow velocity of the cluster jet target an exposition with laser pulses up to 125 kHz repetition rate is possible without any degradation of the EUV emission efficiency. Both the high conversion efficiency and the high repetition rate make this Xe target attractive for an EUV source with high average EUV power.

A laser system for the TESLA photon collider based on an external ring resonator

Abstract We present a concept of a laser system for a photon collider at the TESLA linac. It is based on an external optical ring cavity which is pumped by a short-pulse laser. A detailed discussion of the geometry of the external cavity is given.

Scaling-up a liquid water jet laser plasma source to high average power for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography

In this article we describe a laser plasma source for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) based on a liquid water jet target. Although jet targets are known for some time now, no attempts have been made to prove the functionality of the target under conditions similar to an EUVL production-line facility, that means illumination with high average power laser systems (in the multi-kW regime) at repetition rates in the kHz region. Such systems are currently under development. We used the MBI-burst laser to simulate these extreme illumination conditions. We examined the hydrodynamic stability of the target as a function of the laser repetition rate at different average laser powers (0.6kW and 5kW per burst). Additionally, the dependence of the conversion efficiency on pulse duration in the range from 30ps to 3ns was investigated. From our results one can conclude parameters for future design of driver lasers for EUVL systems.

Feedback-stabilized Nd:YLF amplifier system for generation of picosecond pulse trains of an exactly rectangular envelope

We describe the amplifier chain of the photocathode laser of the TESLA Test Facility. This chain is optimized for amplification of trains of picosecond pulses. At its output, pulse trains with a rectangularly shaped envelope of 0.7% flatness and a long-term stability of the energy in the individual picosecond pulses in excess of 0.9% are obtained. This stability is achieved by using a computerized feedback control system, which we describe in detail together with the versatile feedback algorithm applied. The feedback loop performs a tight adjustment of both the shape and magnitude of the flashlamp pulses as well as the starting time of the pump with respect to the pulse train. High-current insulated gate bipolar transistors are used to directly manipulate the flashlamp current in a microsecond time scale.