J. Puth

High-conversion-efficiency optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system using spatiotemporally shaped pump pulses

High-conversion-efficiency, high-stability optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification is demonstrated with a spatiotemporally shaped pump laser system. Broadband 5-mJ pulses are produced at a 5-Hz repetition rate with a pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 29% and energy stability better than 2% rms. To our knowledge this is the highest conversion efficiency and stability achieved in an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system.

5?Hz, >250?mJ optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier at 1053?nm

A 250 mJ, 5 Hz repetition rate optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier with near-Fourier-transform-limited, 430 fs pulses and a beam that can be focused to near the diffraction limit is demonstrated. A pump laser with engineered spatial and temporal profiles allows an overall pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 34% to be achieved.

Design of a highly stable, high-conversion-efficiency, optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system with good beam quality

An optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA) design that provides 40% pump-to-signal conversion efficiency and over-500-mJ signal energy at 1054 nm for front-end injection into a Nd:glass amplifier chain is presented. This OPCPA system is currently being built as the prototype front end for the OMEGA EP (extended performance) laser system at the University of Rochesters Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Using a three-dimensional spatial and temporal numerical model, several design considerations necessary to achieve high conversion efficiency, good output stability, and good beam quality are discussed. The dependence of OPCPA output on the pump beams spatiotemporal shape and the relative size of seed and pump beams is described. This includes the effects of pump intensity modulation and pump-signal walk-off. The trade-off among efficiency, stability, and low output beam intensity modulation is discussed.

OMEGA EP high-energy petawatt laser: progress and prospects

OMEGA EP (extended performance) is a petawatt-class addition to the existing 30-kJ, 60-beam OMEGA Laser Facility at the University of Rochester. It will enable high-energy picosecond backlighting of high-energy-density experiments and inertial confinement fusion implosions, the investigation of advanced-ignition experiments such as fast ignition, and the exploration of high-energy-density phenomena. The OMEGA EP short-pulse beams have the flexibility to be directed to either the existing OMEGA target chamber, or the new, auxiliary OMEGA EP target chamber for independent experiments. This paper will detail progress made towards activation, which is on schedule for completion in April 2008.

High-energy, high-average-power laser with Nd:YLF rods corrected by magnetorheological finishing

A high-energy, high-average-power laser system, optimized to efficiently pump a high-performance optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier at 527 nm, has been demonstrated. The crystal large-aperture ring amplifier employs two flash-lamp-pumped, 25.4-mm-diameter Nd:YLF rods. The transmitted wave front of these rods is corrected by magnetorheological finishing to achieve nearly diffraction-limited output performance with frequency-doubled pulse energies up to 1.8 J at 5 Hz.

The OMEGA EP High-Energy, Short-Pulse Laser System

OMEGA EP (Extended Performance) is a petawatt-class addition to the existing 30-kJ, 60-beam OMEGA Laser Facility at the University of Rochester. Activation of the OMEGA EP Laser is complete and results will be described.

The OMEGA EP high-energy, short-pulse laser system

OMEGA EP (extended performance) is a petawatt-class addition to the existing 30-kJ, 60-beam OMEGA Laser Facility at the University of Rochester. Activation of the OMEGA EP laser is near completion and results will be described.

Parasitic second-harmonic generation in optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

Parasitic SHG in an LBO OPCPA system has been observed. It can significantly reduce the useful signal energy and heavily distort the output spectrum. Operating conditions to eliminate this effect are identified and demonstrated.

High-energy, 5-Hz repetition rate laser amplifier using wavefront corrected Nd:YLF laser rods

We report on a high-energy laser for pumping an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system using 1”-aperture, Nd:YLF laser rods. Improved system performance is demonstrated after Magnetorheological Finishing correction of the large laser rod aberration.