<title>Pulse generation and shaping using the ultra-high-power laser system: VULCAN</title>

Abstract

VULCAN is a multi-beam, multi-terawatt laser facility based on Nd:glass operating at 1053 nm. The system is highly versatile, supplying four experimental areas with laser radiation at a range of pulse durations from 700 fs to 20 ns, at fundamental frequency, frequency doubled, or, as a limited option, frequency tripled wavelengths. Beams are available in a number of geometries dictated by the university based programmes, which at present include: cluster; line focus including Xray laser oscillator I amplifier geomeiry; backlighting; probing; and chirped pulse amplification' (CPA) configurations. The system has eight beams which can deliver synchronised long and short pulses including two beams which can deliver subpicosecond CPA pulses. The CPA capabilities on VULCAN2 are an integral part of the laser system, not only delivering sub-picosecond pulses, but allowing uncompressed pulses and multi-pulses to be delivered to the target areas synchronised with the nanosecond pulses. This paper describes the system configuration, details the means of pulse synchronisation and presents some of the pulse manipulation techniques used on VULCAN to provide the laser requirements for the experimental programme.

<title>Front end of the high-energy Nd:glass laser fusion system with shaped nanosecond laser pulses</title>

“…The schematic of system for sinchronisation of long and shot laser pulses is shown in Fig.4. The synchronisation unit is triggered by pulse generator, which, in turn, is triggered by rising edge of the first relaxation oscillation detected using photodiode as in [7]. The synchronisation unit produces output signals synchronized to the phase of 50 MHz rf generator signal applied to the AMQ oscillator.…”