Characterization of a high-intensity subpicosecond XeCl laser system.

摘要

Recent advances in ultrafast lasers and large-aperture optical amplifiers have spurred the development of terawatt-class laser systems capable of delivering focal-spot intensities in excess of 10(sup 19) W/cm(sup 2). At these extremely high intensities, the optical field strength is more than twenty times larger than the Bohr electric field, e/a(sub o)(sup 2), permitting for the first time investigations of the optical properties of matter in a previously unexplored intensity regime. We describe a terawatt-class laser system based on the amplification of subpicosecond pulses in XeCl discharge amplifiers. Although several terawatt laser systems have been previously reported, complete characterization of the performance of these devices has not been made: Only for a few of these systems has the final output pulsewidth been determined, while measurements of the focal-spot diameter obtained upon focusing of the fully amplified beam have not been reported at all. 9 refs., 4 figs. (ERA citation 15:035355)