Ultrahigh laser pulse energy and power generation at 10 kHz

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• High-energy lasers
• Nonlinear optics

Background:

• Master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) laser architectures are crucial for high-energy applications.
• Achieving high pulse energies with stable, long-duration pulse trains remains a significant challenge in laser development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the performance of a novel MOPA pulse-burst laser system.
• To demonstrate ultrahigh pulse energies and efficient second-harmonic generation over extended pulse bursts.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a master-oscillator, power-amplifier (MOPA) configuration.
• Operated the laser system at 1064 nm with 100 μs interpulse separation for 100-pulse bursts.
• Characterized pulse energy, peak power, average power, and pulse energy droop.

Main Results:

• Achieved pulse energies exceeding 2.0 J/pulse at 1064 nm.
• Demonstrated peak powers over 130 MW and average power of approximately 20 kW for 100-pulse bursts.
• Observed less than 10% pulse energy decrease over 100 sequential pulses, indicating negligible droop.
• Attained >50% conversion efficiency for second-harmonic generation (532 nm) during 100-pulse bursts.

Conclusions:

• The developed MOPA laser system reliably delivers ultrahigh pulse energies with exceptional stability over long pulse trains.
• The system's capability for efficient nonlinear frequency conversion opens avenues for advanced laser applications requiring high-energy green light.