The Mercury Laser System: An Average power, gas-cooled, Yb:S-FAP based system with frequency conversion and wavefront correction

Conference · Wed Aug 31 04:00:00 EDT 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:2006133161· OSTI ID:883521

Bibeau, C; Bayramian, A; Armstrong, P; Ault, E; Beach, R; Benapfl, M; Campbell, R; Dawson, J; Ebbers, C; Freitas, B; Kent, R; Liao, Z; Ladran, T; Menapace, J; Molander, B; Moses, E; Oberhelman, S; Payne, S; Peterson, N; Schaffers, K ; Stolz, C; Sutton, S; Tassano, J; Telford, S; Utterback, E; Randles, M

We report on the operation of the Mercury laser with fourteen 4 x 6 cm{sup 2} Yb:S-FAP amplifier slabs pumped by eight 100 kW peak power diode arrays. The system was continuously run at 55 J and 10 Hz for several hours, (2 x 10{sup 5} cumulative shots) with over 80% of the energy in a 6 times diffraction limited spot at 1.047 um. Improved optical quality was achieved in Yb:S-FAP amplifiers with magneto-rheological finishing, a deterministic polishing method. In addition, average power frequency conversion employing YCOB was demonstrated at 50% conversion efficiency or 22.6 J at 10 Hz.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 883521
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CONF-215077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
AMPLIFIERS
DIFFRACTION
EFFICIENCY
LASERS
MERCURY
PEAK LOAD
POLISHING