Key Components for the Implementation of High Repetition Rate Petawatt-class Lasers

Ultra-high power, ultrashort pulse lasers systems are the central tool driving many of the recent advances in high energy density plasma science. They enable the generation of high energy density relativistic plasmas, bright x-ray and gamma–ray bursts, energetics particle beams and neutrons, and drive applications such as shadowgraphy of inertial confinement fusion targets and fast ignition. However, all ultrahigh power lasers are presently limited to low repetition rates (less than 10 Hz). XUV Lasers, in collaboration with Colorado State University (CSU) proposes to develop and commercialize key components for Petawatt-class lasers operating at greatly increased repetition rates. Building on the results of Phase I we propose to develop a multi-Joule, kW average power Yb:YAG-based green laser module to pump high average power Ti:Sappire (Ti:Sa) lasers by frequency doubling kW average power beams in LBO, and to demonstrate a thermal management solution for multi-Joule high rep rate (>100 Hz) Ti:Sa amplifiers. The XUV Lasers/CSU partnership is well positioned to conduct the proposed development: XUV Lasers has developed cryo-cooled diode-pumped Yb-YAG amplifier technology that will serve as a basis for the proposed green laser development, and CSU had demonstrated one of the highest repetition rate Petawatt-class lasers to date (0.85 PW, 3.3 Hz). The realization and commercialization of high repetition rate ultra-intense laser amplifiers will have transformative potential in both fundamental science and technology. The ability to gather data at high repetition rates can transform the fields of high energy density science and ultra-high filed physics in which experiments are typically limited to a relatively low number of events and poor statistics. High repetition rate lasers will open the possibility of exploring broad parameter spaces and reducing measurement uncertainties, resulting in high quality data that can serve to benchmark and improve simulations, helping to distinguish between competing models. The commercial availability of high repetition rate lasers can also help to greatly extend the capability of mid-scale high intensity laser facilities, such as those that are part the LaserNetUS, a users network of high power lasers created by DOE to serve the broad scientific community. The unprecedented combination of ultra-high intensity, high energy, and high repetition rate will also enable the implementation of new technologies such as bright ultrafast x-ray, gamma ray, and neutron sources and compact electron and ion accelerators for medicine and materials inspection, while the proposed pump laser modules will also have industrial applications such laser pinning of critical mechanical components.