DIODE PUMPED MODE-LOCKED SOLID STATE LASERS

THE ACCELERATION AND HEATING OF ELECTRONS IN HIGH DENSITY PLASMAS USING SHORT LASER PULSES IS BEING EXPLORED IN THIS PHASE I PROJECT AS A POSSIBLE TECHNIQUE FOR DRIVING LASER FUSION REACTORS. A CRITICAL ASPECT OF ANY LASER-DRIVEN FUSION REACTOR SCHEME IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RELIABLE, LONG-LIVED, EFFICIENT LASER SOURCE. AS AN INITIAL STEP TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF A SUITABLE LASER SOURCE, THIS PROJECT WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF MODE-LOCKED SOLID STATE LASERS THAT ARE OPTICALLY PUMPED BY CONTINUOUS WAVE SEMICONDUCTOR DIODE LASERS. THESE DEVICES ARE POTENTIALLY CAPABLE OF PROVIDING 10 TO 100 PICOSECOND LASER PULSES AT REPETITION RATES OF 100 TO 200 MHZ AND EFFICIENCIES APPROACHING 10%, AND WOULD BE WELL SUITED TO PARTICLE ACCELERATOR APPLICATIONS.