[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 8, 3404051 (2013)

Regular Articles

DiPOLE - An Efficient and Scalable High Pulse Energy and High Average Power Cryogenic Gas Cooled Multi-Slab Amplifier Concept
Paul D. MASON, Saumyabrata BANERJEE, Klaus ERTEL, P. Jonathan PHILLIPS, Justin GREENHALGH and John L. COLLIER
Centre for Advanced Laser Technology & Applications, Central Laser Facility, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
(Received 29 May 2012 / Accepted 9 October 2012 / Published 22 May 2013)

Abstract

We present preliminary amplification results for DiPOLE, a prototype diode-pumped cryogenic gas cooled Yb:YAG amplifier. Amplification of ns-pulses at 1030 nm has demonstrated output energies of 10.1 J at 1 Hz in a 4-pass extraction geometry and 6.4 J at 10 Hz in a 3-pass setup, corresponding to optical-to-optical conversion efficiencies of 21% and 16%, respectively. Measured performance compares favourably to existing systems and confirms the viability of the concept for efficient generation of high energy pulses at multi-Hz repetition rate. Work is now underway to confirm the scalability of the concept with the design of a 100 J amplifier system. This along with advances in Ti:Sapphire amplifier technology opens the way to the development of a multi-Hz, PW-class laser facility at the Central Laser Facility. Knowledge gained from these developments will de-risk the technology necessary to build a sub-aperture beamlet for a laser driver suitable for fusion energy generation.

Keywords

solid-state laser, laser amplifier, pulsed laser, ytterbium laser, cryogenic laser

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.8.3404051

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Paul D. MASON, Saumyabrata BANERJEE, Klaus ERTEL, P. Jonathan PHILLIPS, Justin GREENHALGH and John L. COLLIER, Plasma Fusion Res. 8, 3404051 (2013).