Pulse generation and shaping using the ultra-high-power laser system: VULCAN

摘要

Abstract: VULCAN is a multi-beam, multi-terawatt laser facilitybased on Nd:glass operating at 1053 nm. The system ishighly versatile, supplying four experimental areaswith laser radiation at a range of pulse durations from700 fs to 20 ns, at fundamental frequency, frequencydoubled, or, as a limited option, frequency tripledwavelengths. Beams are available in a number ofgeometries dictated by the university based programs,which at present include: cluster; line focus includingx-ray laser oscillator/amplifier geometry;backlighting; probing; and chirped pulse amplification(CPA) configurations. The system has eight beams whichcan deliver synchronized long and short pulsesincluding two beams which can deliver subpicosecond CPApulses. The CPA capabilities on VULCAN are an integralpart of the laser system, not only deliveringsub-picosecond pulses, but allowing uncompressed pulsesand multi-pulses to be delivered to the target areassynchronized with the nanosecond pulses. This paperdescribes the system configuration, details the meansof pulse synchronization and presents some of the pulsemanipulation techniques used on VULCAN to provide thelaser requirements for the experimental program. !17