Optical switching and contrast enhancement in intense laser systems by cascaded optical parametric amplification

Journal Article · Tue Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Optics Letters

OSTI ID:883595

Jovanovic, I; Haefner, C; Wattellier, B; Barty, C J

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) can be used to improve the prepulse contrast in chirped-pulse amplification systems by amplifying the main pulse with a total saturated OPCPA gain, while not affecting the preceding prepulses of the seed oscillator mode-locked pulse train. We show that a simple modification of a multistage OPCPA system into a cascaded optical parametric amplifier (COPA) results in an optical switch and extreme contrast enhancement which can completely eliminate the preceding and trailing oscillator pulses. Instrument-limited measurement of prepulse contrast ratio of 1.4 x 10{sup 11} is demonstrated from COPA at a 30-mJ level.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 883595
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JRNL-215289; OPLEDP; TRN: US200615%%162
• Journal Information: Optics Letters, Vol. 31, Issue 6; ISSN 0146-9592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AMPLIFICATION
LASERS
MODIFICATIONS
OSCILLATORS
PARAMETRIC AMPLIFIERS
SEEDS