Pulse-burst laser systems for fast Thomson scattering (invited)

Journal Article · Fri Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3475723· OSTI ID:22058668

Den Hartog, D J ^[1]; Ambuel, J R; Holly, D J; Robl, P E ^[2]; Borchardt, M T; Falkowski, A F; Harris, W S; Parke, E; Reusch, J A; Stephens, H D; Yang, Y M ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)
2. Physical Sciences Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3725 Schneider Drive, Stoughton, Wisconsin 53589 (United States)

Two standard commercial flashlamp-pumped Nd:YAG (YAG denotes yttrium aluminum garnet) lasers have been upgraded to ''pulse-burst'' capability. Each laser produces a burst of up to 15 2 J Q-switched pulses (1064 nm) at repetition rates of 1-12.5 kHz. Variable pulse-width drive (0.15-0.39 ms) of the flashlamps is accomplished by insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switching of electrolytic capacitor banks. Direct control of the laser Pockels cell drive enables optimal pulse energy extraction, and up to four 2 J laser pulses during one flashlamp pulse. These lasers are used in the Thomson scattering plasma diagnostic system on the MST reversed-field pinch to record the dynamic evolution of the electron temperature profile and temperature fluctuations. To further these investigations, a custom pulse-burst laser system with a maximum pulse repetition rate of 250 kHz is now being commissioned.

• OSTI ID: 22058668
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 81; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM
CAPACITORS
CONTROL
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
FLASH TUBES
GARNETS
KHZ RANGE
MST DEVICE
NEODYMIUM LASERS
POCKELS CELL
PULSES
Q-SWITCHING
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
THOMSON SCATTERING
TRANSISTORS
YTTRIUM