Abstract

A multipass amplifier configuration is described which has potential as a large aperture, high gain driver stage for fusion laser systems. We avoid the present limitations of large aperture switches by using an off-angle geometry that does not require an optical switch. The saturated gain characteristics of this multipass amplifier are optimized numerically. Three potential problems are investigated experimentally, self-lasing, output beam quality, and amplified spontaneous emission output. The results indicate comparable cost for comparable performance to a linear chain, with some operational advantage for the multipass driver stage.

© 1981 Optical Society of America

Performance of a prototype for a large-aperture multipass Nd:glass laser for inertial confinement fusion

Bruno M. Van Wonterghem, John R. Murray, Jack H. Campbell, D. Ralph Speck, Charles E. Barker, Ian C. Smith, Donald F. Browning, and William C. Behrendt
Appl. Opt. 36(21) 4932-4953 (1997)

Active mirror: a large-aperture medium-repetition rate Nd:glass amplifier

J. A. Abate, L. Lund, D. Brown, S. Jacobs, S. Refermat, J. Kelly, M. Gavin, J. Waldbillig, and O. Lewis
Appl. Opt. 20(2) 351-361 (1981)

High-power regenerative Nc:phosphate glass amplifier

E. W. Roschger and J. E. Balmer
Appl. Opt. 24(18) 3110-3112 (1985)

Multipass V-shaped system with a large relative aperture: stages of development

Semen M. Chernin
Appl. Opt. 34(34) 7857-7863 (1995)

Passively switched double-pass active mirror system

D. C. Brown, J. A. Abate, L. Lund, and J. Waldbillig
Appl. Opt. 20(9) 1588-1594 (1981)