We report the demonstration of a diode-pumped chirped pulse amplification Yb:YAG laser that produces λ=1.03  μm pulses of up to 1.5 J energy compressible to sub-5 ps duration at a repetition rate of 500 Hz (750 W average power). Amplification to high energy takes place in cryogenically cooled Yb:YAG active mirrors designed for kilowatt average power laser operation. This compact laser system will enable new advances in high-average-power ultrashort-pulse lasers and high-repetition-rate tabletop soft x-ray lasers. As a first application, the laser was used to pump a 400 Hz λ=18.9  nm laser.

Recent results in the development of diode-driven high energy, high repetition rate, picosecond lasers, including the demonstration of a cryogenic Yb:YAG active mirror amplifier that produces 1.5 J pulses at 500 Hz repetition rate (0.75 kW average power) are reviewed. These pulses are compressed resulting in the generation of ${\sim}5~\text{ps}$ duration, 1 J pulses with 0.5 kW average power. A full characterization of this high power cryogenic amplifier, including at-wavelength interferometry of the active region under ${>}1~\text{kW}$ average power pump conditions, is presented. An initial demonstration of operation at 1 kW average power (1 J, 1 kHz) is reported.

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