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Pulse compression for more efficient operation of solid-state laser amplifier chains

1974; American Institute of Physics; Volume: 24; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1063/1.1655015

1520-8842

Robert A. Fisher, William K. Bischel,

Solid State Laser Technologies

We propose a pulse compression scheme which reduces the peak intensity while increasing the energy density achievable in a Nd:glass amplifier chain. Self-focusing is the dominant effect responsible for limiting the power of a short-pulse Nd:glass amplifier chain, and the reduction of the intensity (through this compression scheme) greatly reduces these problems. We recommend injecting a lower-intensity and longer-duration pulse into the chain. Under some circumstances, the glass nonlinearity will impress upon the pulse a chirp suitable for efficient subsequent temporal compression, and this may result in higher effective peak power operation. If a 1-nsec (full 1/e duration) temporally Gaussian pulse with a chain-averaged peak intensity of 2 GW/cm2 propagates 2 m in a Nd:glass laser chain, we calculate that the pulse could be subsequently compressed (by a series of Gires-Tournois interferometers) to 125 psec with good stability against input pulse amplitude noise. Such short pulses are of major interest for laser fusion.