M. J. Guardalben

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.

Large-aperture grating tiling by interferometry for petawatt chirped-pulse-amplification systems

A tiled-grating assembly with three large-scale gratings is developed with real-time interferometric tiling control for the OMEGA EP Laser Facility. An automatic tiling method is achieved and used to tile a three-tile grating assembly with the overall wavefront reconstructed. Tiling-parameters sensitivity and focal-spot degradation from all combined tiling errors are analyzed for a pulse compressor composed of four such assemblies.

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.

Demonstration of the dual-tripler scheme for increased-bandwidth third-harmonic generation

The dual-tripler scheme for enhancing the bandwidth of third-harmonic generation proposed by Eimerl et al. [Opt. Lett. 22, 1208 (1997)] is experimentally demonstrated for the conversion of 1054-nm radiation to 351 nm. It is shown that the spacing between the triplers must be carefully controlled. The results are in excellent agreement with theory and indicate that fusion lasers can be frequency tripled with a threefold increase in bandwidth.

Littrow angle method to remove alignment errors in grating pulse compressors

An alignment method for pulse-compression gratings that obviates the need to place the gratings at normal incidence to remove grating-tip error is proposed. Grating-tip and groove-orientation errors are removed using two alignment wavelengths in a manner analogous to a laser-beam pointing and centering procedure entirely at the respective Littrow angles for the two wavelengths. By choosing wavelengths with Littrow angles close to the use angle of the grating, the residual tip and groove-orientation errors that may be introduced when the grating mount is tilted to its use angle are reduced. This method has greatly facilitated the alignment of the OMEGA Extended Performance (EP) large-aperture pulse compressors, thereby reducing residual pulse-front tilt caused by nonparallel gratings. OMEGA EP is a high-energy, petawatt-class laser at the University of Rochesters Laboratory for Laser Energetics. A numerical simulation of the alignment procedure is presented.

Liquid-Crystal Materials for High Peak-Power Laser Applications

Abstract This is a brief review of materials and device-development issues related to the application of liquid-crystal technology to multikilojoule, high peak-power lasers.

Phase-shift error as a result of molecular alignment distortions in a liquid-crystal point-diffraction interferometer

We report the observation of nematic director distortions around the diffracting element of a liquid-crystal point-diffraction interferometer. The observed director field distortions are similar to those reported in the literature for other liquid-crystal guest-host systems. We show how the alignment distortion changes as a function of the voltage applied to the liquid-crystal cell, leading to an observed phase-shift error. Tailoring of surface anchoring conditions and judicious choice of phase-shift algorithm can improve device accuracy.