A Multifunctiona Laser Probing Device for High-Energy Laser Plasma Diagnosis

A non-perturbing, fast, sensitive laser plasma diagnostic tool is greatly needed in plasma aided manufacturing and in super-anti-corrosion material synthesis for military applications. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a compact, flexible, highly-sensitive plasma diagnostic system based on an optical interferometric technology and on the Doppler spectral shift in Thomson scattering. The proposed system combines several state-of-art technologies, including high-power fiber opticws, short-pulse laser manipulation based in nonlinear effects (self-phase modulation and group velocity dispersion) in fibers, and a new double beam setup, to provide real-time simultaneous diagnosing of laser plasma temperature, density, and distribution. Frequency doubling of the probing beam using commercially available non-linear crystals will ensure the system's suitability for a wide range of high-energy laser plasmas with electron densities for 1013 to 1022 cm -3 and temperatures at 100 eV to 2 keV. Optimized computer software will provide a user-friendly interface for automatic manufacturing process and monitoring and control.