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Optics Express

Optics Express

  • Editor: C. Martijn de Sterke
  • Vol. 19, Iss. 9 — Apr. 25, 2011
  • pp: 8486–8497

Optics InfoBase > Optics Express > Volume 19 > Issue 9 > Page 8486

Pedestal cleaning for high laser pulse contrast ratio with a 100 TW class laser system

S. Fourmaux, S. Payeur, S. Buffechoux, P. Lassonde, C. St-Pierre, F. Martin, and J. C. Kieffer  »View Author Affiliations


Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 9, pp. 8486-8497 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.008486


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Abstract

Laser matter interaction at relativistic intensities using 100 TW class laser systems or higher is becoming more and more widespread. One of the critical issues of such laser systems is to let the laser pulse interact at high intensity with the solid target and avoid any pre-plasma. Thus, a high Laser Pulse Contrast Ratio (LPCR) parameter is of prime importance. We present the LPCR characterization of a high repetition 100 TW class laser system. We demonstrate that the generated Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) degrades the overall LPCR performance. We propose a simple way to clean the pulse after the first amplification stage by introducing a solid state saturable absorber which results in a LPCR improvement to better than 1010 with only a 30% energy loss at a 10 Hz repetition rate. We finally correlated this cleaning method with experimental results.

© 2011 OSA

OCIS Codes
(140.3590) Lasers and laser optics : Lasers, titanium
(140.7090) Lasers and laser optics : Ultrafast lasers
(320.5550) Ultrafast optics : Pulses

ToC Category:
Lasers and Laser Systems

History
Original Manuscript: January 21, 2011
Revised Manuscript: March 19, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: March 30, 2011
Published: April 18, 2011

Citation
S. Fourmaux, S. Payeur, S. Buffechoux, P. Lassonde, C. St-Pierre, F. Martin, and J. C. Kieffer, "Pedestal cleaning for high laser pulse contrast ratio with a 100 TW class laser system," Opt. Express 19, 8486-8497 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-9-8486


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