Ultrashort pulse lasers capable of delivering high energy pulses are limited in repetition rate. Using the combination of laser diodes to pump the laser and advanced cryogenic cooling we have demonstrated Joule-class picosecond lasers at record high repetition rate and average power. Operation at 500 Hz has produced compressed 1 J pulses with a 5 ps pulse duration [1]. Preliminary tests of operation at 1 kHz have generated 1.4 kW of power in uncompressed pulses [2]. We have utilized this laser system to drive plasma-based soft x-ray lasers at a record 400 Hz, generating 0.15 mW of coherent light at 18.9 nm and 0.1 mW at 13.9 nm.
Recently we have demonstrated operation of the Yb:YAG amplifier to 1.1 J at 1000 Hz, which corresponds to an average power of 1kW [3]. In addition, the Yb:YAG amplifier was frequency doubled to produce a 1kW average power 1J green laser [4]. These are, to our knowledge, record performance for picosecond and nanosecond lasers respectively.
Funding
Department of Energy; DoD Office of Naval Research and National Science Foundation
Selected References
- Baumgarten, M. Pedicone, H. Bravo, H.C. Wang, L. Yin, C.S. Menoni, J. J. Rocca, and B.A. Reagan, “1 J, 0.5 kHz repetition rate picosecond laser”. Optics Letters. 41(2016).10.1364/ol.41.003339.
- A. Reagan, C. Baumgarten, E. Jankowska, H. Chi, H. Bravo, K. Dehne, M. Pedicone, L. Yin, H.C. Wang, C.S. Menoni, and J. J. Rocca, “Scaling diode-pumped, high energy picosecond lasers to kilowatt average powers”. High Power Laser Science and Engineering. 6 e11, (2018).10.1017/hpl.2018.
- Y. Wang, H. Chi, C. Baumgarten, K. Dehne, A.R. Meadows, A. Davenport, G. Murray, B.A. Reagan, C.S. Menoni, J.J. Rocca, “1.1 J Yb:YAG picosecond laser at 1 kHz repetition rate,” Optics Letters, 45, 6615-6618, (2020).
- Chi, Y. Wang, A. Davenport, C.S. Menoni, J.J. Rocca, “Demonstration of a kilowatt average power, 1 J, green laser,” Optics Letters, 45, 6803-6806, (2020).