Abstract

This paper describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a turnkey CO₂ laser system constructed by Spectra Technology, Inc. for the LLNL Paladin FEL. The laser forms the front end driver for the FEL experiment and must deliver > 250 mJ in 50 ns at a rep rate of up to 1 Hz. In addition, the laser must operate in a single longitudinal mode and have a transverse TEM₀₀ beam profile. The pulse-to-pulse energy must be consistent over 1-h run times and the intensity, within the 50-ns pulse, must be flat to ≲ 20%. The delivered laser system employs three atmospheric UV preionized discharge lasers, and a low pressure cw laser that provides the single longitudinal line lock capability, as well as an alignment tracer beam. Fifty-nanosecond pulses are sliced from the oscillator output with a CdTe switch and Brewster stack polarizers. Technical features of the laser are described which are required to meet the laser system specifications. Performance data for the completed laser are presented.

© 1986 Optical Society of America