High-power optical-fiber transport network
In the U-AVLIS Program, organic dye laser chains generate the high-power, tunable laser light required by the uranium photoionization process. Up to fifteen chains of large-bore copper vapor lasers (CVLs) serve as the excitation source for these dye laser chains. Due to physical constraints and other considerations, the copper and dye laser systems are physically separated within the U-AVLIS Program`s Laser Demonstration Facility (LDF). An optical network is therefore required that serves as the conduit to efficiently transport the multi-kilowatt CVL beams to the dye lasers chains. Approximately ten years ago, the program began investigating the use of large-core optical-fiber cables as an alternative means of transporting CVL light. At that time, it was decided to separate the portion of the discrete delivery network that transported laser light to the dye master oscillators (DMOs) of the dye laser chains and convert that to an optical-fiber delivery approach. This first step in using optical fibers to transport CVL light to the low-power `front end` of the system was very successful and to date, several hundred thousand hours of routine, fiber-pumped DMO operation have been recorded. A key advantage in using optical fibers to deliver pump light to the DMOs is that the alignment of the optical fiber to the laser cavity is fixed, eliminating the need to make adjustments after the initial setup. Based on the experience gained pumping the DMOs with light delivered by optical fibers, nearly four years ago the more challenging task of converting the entire discrete copper laser delivery system to an optical-fiber-based network was begun.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 28653
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-LR-111984-94-2; ON: DE95000313; TRN: 94:009184-0002
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: [1994]; Related Information: Is Part Of Isotope Separation and Advanced Manufacturing Technology. ISAM semiannual report, Volume 3, Number 1, October 1993--March 1994; Carpenter, J.; Kan, T. [eds.]; PB: 46 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The copper-pumped dye laser system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Safety approaches for high power modular laser operation