Simultaneous dual wavelength CPA operation of the vulcan laser for particle acceleration experiments

• Main Authors: Collier, J.L., Neely, D., Allott, R., Danson, C.N., Hawkes, S., Najmudin, Z., Kingham, R.J., Krushelnick, K., Dangor, A.E.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bandwidth; Chirp modulation; Linear particle accelerator; Optical pulse generation; Optical pulses; Plasma accelerators; Plasma waves; Pulse amplifiers; Pulse compression methods; Pulse modulation
• DOI: 10.1109/IQEC.2000.908177

Summary form only given. A chirped pulse amplification laser configuration capable of particle acceleration through the driving of a plasma beatwave into saturation before modulation instabilities can grow is reported. The configuration is based on generating a single sub-ps, broad bandwidth pulse (/spl sim/16 nm) and stretching and filtering to select two wavelength components (separation /spl sim/7 nm). The two spectral components are temporally stretched (to >100 ps) and separated (by /spl sim/1 ns). The pulses are then amplified in a single Nd:glass chain to greater than 15 J per pulse. Using a single pass reflective grating compressor the pulses are temporally compressed to between 2 and 5 ps and automatically synchronised. Moreover, the system is capable of introducing a chirp into the actual beat, such that the compressed pulses can compensate for relativistic detuning of the plasma wave. The optimum laser amplification and recombination configuration for generating a saturated laser driven beatwave is presented and options for future work discussed.