Multifunctional optical correlator for picosecond ultraviolet laser pulse measurement

Abstract

A compact multifunctional optical correlator system for pulse width measurement of ultrashort ultraviolet (UV) pulses has been designed and experimentally demonstrated. Both autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions are measured using a single nonlinear crystal, and the switching between two measurements requires no adjustment of phase matching and detector. The system can measure UV pulse widths from sub-picoseconds to 100 ps, and it involves no auxiliary pulse in the measurement. The measurement results on a burst-mode picosecond UV laser show a high-quality performance on speed, accuracy, resolution, and dynamic range. The proposed correlator can be applied to measure any ultrashort UV pulses produced through sum-frequency generation or second-harmonic generation.

First Demonstration of Laser-Assisted Charge Exchange for Microsecond Duration H− Beams

“…The three-stage Nd:YAG amplifiers provide six orders of magnitude power amplification to the input macropulse and the amplified IR light is converted to its third harmonic by two Lithium Triborate (LBO) crystals. The pulse width of the UV light has been characterized using a multifunctional optical correlator [13]. At 10 µs macropulse, the maximum peak power of the UV pulses measured 3.5 MW at the (micro-) pulse width of 33 ± 1 ps.…”

High efficiency laser-assisted H− charge exchange for microsecond duration beams

“…The laser wavelength is controlled via a temperature-tuned fiber Bragg grating and stabilized at 36.0 AE 0.05°C so that the corresponding wavelength of 1064.45 nm maximizes the Nd:YAG amplifier gain. The pulse width is tunable within a range of 55-85 ps [18]. The seed laser has a built-in fiber amplifier which produces an average output power of 200 mW.…”

“…The three-stage Nd:YAG amplifiers pumped by flash lamps provide 6 orders of magnitude power amplification to the input macropulse, and the amplified IR light is subsequently converted to its third harmonic by two lithium triborate crystals [17]. The pulse width of the UV beam has been characterized using a multifunctional optical correlator [18]. For a 10 μs macropulse, the maximum measured peak power of the UV pulses is 3.5 MW at a (micro)pulse width of 33 AE 1 ps.…”

Novel Approaches to High-Power Proton Beams [Slides]

“…In [7], 1 GeV H − are stripped with 95% stripping efficiency over a 10 µs timescale with an ultraviolet laser delivering 1 MW peak power. The 10 µs timescale is not suitable for a multi-millisecond injection but the paper articulates that "a doubly resonant optical cavity scheme is being developed to realize a cavity enhancement of burst-mode laser pulses" (see [8]).…”