Abstract

As presently envisioned, the Nova Upgrade project will employ large aperture final optics that are exposed to multi-nanosecond pulses at several GW/cm² intensities. Propagation of such high-power long-duration laser pulses through large-aperture optics can drive significant amounts of Raman and Brillouin scattering in the transverse direction within the optics. Such scattering can lead to energy loss from the pump and hence degradation of system performance. More critically, the scattered light can reach fluences sufficient to cause optical and/or mechanical damage to the optics. Transverse SBS has been observed on Nova and has been suppressed by adding a small amount of bandwidth to the pump [1].

© 1992 Optical Society of America