Colin Danson

Abstract:

An exceptionally high gain coefficient has been obtained at 18.2 nm in a C VI recombination laser driven by a 2 ps, 20 J, Nd-glass laser operating by chirped pulse amplification. Carbon fiber targets of 7 m diameter and up to 5 mm length were irradiated at 6×1015 W cm-2. The time and space integrated gain coefficient on the 18.2 nm Balmer transition was measured to be 12.5 1.5 cm-1. Comparison with numerical modeling suggests that saturated laser action would be obtained with less than a factor of 2 increase in length. © 1995 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

We report the development at the VULCAN Nd:glass laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) operation at 620 fs to give 35 TW in a single large aperture beam, with focused intensities on target in excess of 1019 Wcm-2. We present a technique to optimise the parallelism of the compression gratings, whereby two CW alignment beams at wavelengths of 1053 nm and 1064 nm were injected into the compressor.

Abstract:

The paper reports recent experiments using the VULCAN Nd:glass amplifier. Chirped pulse amplification has been used in solid state laser systems to avoid the power limit set by nonlinear self phase modulation and self focusing that would otherwise prevent amplification of ultrashort pulses to high peak powers. The operation of a laser diode pumped oscillator based on NdxLa1-xMgAl11O19 (Nd:LMA or LNA) is reported.

Abstract:

High power (8 TW), ultra-short (2.4 ps), pulses have been generated using chirped pulse amplification techniques on the VULCAN Nd: glass laser. A novel oscillator was developed as a driver producing ≈ ps pulses at 105 nm. The oscillator output was stretched prior to amplification and compressed at an aperture of 150 mm. The contrast ratio obtained was ≈ 106, which is suitable for laser plasma interaction studies. © 1993.