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1.15 PW-850 J compressed beam demonstration using the PETAL facility
Optics Express
|August 10, 2017
Summary
The Petawatt Aquitaine Laser (PETAL) facility successfully commissioned its Petawatt (PW) beamline, achieving 1.15 PW at 850 J. This advancement in high-energy laser systems addresses challenges with final optics damage thresholds.
Area of Science:
- High-energy laser physics
- Plasma physics
- Fusion energy research
Background:
- The French Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) developed the Petawatt Aquitaine Laser (PETAL) as a Petawatt (PW) beamline for the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) facility.
- Initial PETAL operations were constrained to 1 kJ due to the damage threshold of final optics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the commissioning process and initial operational results of the PW PETAL beamline.
- To detail the achievement of high-energy laser operations and address encountered challenges.
Main Methods:
- Commissioning of the PW PETAL beamline, including the amplifier section with a large spectrum front end.
- Alignment of the synthetic aperture compression stage.
- Demonstration of 1.15 PW operations at 850 J in the compression stage.
Main Results:
- Successful commissioning of the PW PETAL beamline.
- Demonstrated 1.15 Petawatt (PW) laser output at 850 Joules (J) energy.
- Identified and documented issues related to optical damage.
Conclusions:
- The PW PETAL beamline has been successfully commissioned, marking a significant step in high-energy laser capabilities.
- The results demonstrate the facility's potential for advanced scientific research, while highlighting areas for future improvement regarding optics durability.
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