MTW-OPAL: a technology development platform for ultra-intense optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification systems

• Published in: High power laser science and engineering Vol. 9
• Main Authors: Bromage, J., Bahk, S.-W., Bedzyk, M., Begishev, I. A., Bucht, S., Dorrer, C., Feng, C., Jeon, C., Mileham, C., Roides, R. G., Shaughnessy, K., Shoup, M. J., Spilatro, M., Webb, B., Weiner, D., Zuegel, J. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 06.10.2021
• Subjects: Amplification; Aperture; Design; Design optimization; Experiments; Lasers; Optics; Parametric amplifiers; nonlinear optics; ultra-intense lasers; optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification; ultrafast lasers
• ISSN: 2095-4719; 2052-3289
• DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2021.45

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification implemented using multikilojoule Nd:glass pump lasers is a promising approach for producing ultra-intense pulses (>1023 W/cm2). We report on the MTW-OPAL Laser System, an optical parametric amplifier line (OPAL) pumped by the Nd:doped portion of the multi-terawatt (MTW) laser. This midscale prototype was designed to produce 0.5-PW pulses with technologies scalable to tens of petawatts. Technology choices made for MTW-OPAL were guided by the longer-term goal of two full-scale OPALs pumped by the OMEGA EP to produce 2 × 25-PW beams that would be co-located with kilojoule−nanosecond ultraviolet beams. Several MTW-OPAL campaigns that have been completed since “first light” in March 2020 show that the laser design is fundamentally sound, and optimization continues as we prepare for “first-focus” campaigns later this year.