64 research outputs found
Resonant guided wave networks
A resonant guided wave network (RGWN) is an approach to optical materials
design in which power propagation in guided wave circuits enables material
dispersion. The RGWN design, which consists of power-splitting elements
arranged at the nodes of a waveguide network, results in wave dispersion which
depends on network layout due to localized resonances at several length scales
in the network. These structures exhibit both localized resonances with Q ~ 80
at 1550 nm wavelength as well as photonic bands and band-gaps in large periodic
networks at infrared wavelengths.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
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Pre-Amplifier Module for Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion
The Pre-Amplifier Modules (PAMs) are the heart of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), providing most of the energy gain for the most energetic laser in the world. Upon completion, NIF will be the only laboratory in which scientists can examine the fusion processes that occur inside stars, supernovae, and exploding nuclear weapons and that may someday serve as a virtually inexhaustible energy source for electricity. Consider that in a fusion power plant 50 cups of water could provide the energy comparable to 2 tons of coal. Of paramount importance for achieving laser-driven fusion ignition with the least energy input is the synchronous and symmetric compression of the target fuel--a condition known as laser power balance. NIF's 48 PAMs thus must provide energy gain in an exquisitely stable and consistent manner. While building one module that meets performance requirements is challenging enough, our design has already enabled the construction and fielding of 48 PAMs that are stable, uniform, and interchangeable. PAM systems are being tested at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics, and the Atomic Weapons Enterprise of Great Britain has purchased the PAM power system
Trapping polarization of light in nonlinear optical fibers: An ideal Raman polarizer
The main subject of this contribution is the all-optical control over the
state of polarization (SOP) of light, understood as the control over the SOP of
a signal beam by the SOP of a pump beam. We will show how the possibility of
such control arises naturally from a vectorial study of pump-probe Raman
interactions in optical fibers. Most studies on the Raman effect in optical
fibers assume a scalar model, which is only valid for high-PMD fibers (here,
PMD stands for the polarization-mode dispersion). Modern technology enables
manufacturing of low-PMD fibers, the description of which requires a full
vectorial model. Within this model we gain full control over the SOP of the
signal beam. In particular we show how the signal SOP is pulled towards and
trapped by the pump SOP. The isotropic symmetry of the fiber is broken by the
presence of the polarized pump. This trapping effect is used in experiments for
the design of new nonlinear optical devices named Raman polarizers. Along with
the property of improved signal amplification, these devices transform an
arbitrary input SOP of the signal beam into one and the same SOP towards the
output end. This output SOP is fully controlled by the SOP of the pump beam. We
overview the sate-of-the-art of the subject and introduce the notion of an
"ideal Raman polarizer"
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Automatic Alignment of the Advanced Radiographic Capability for the National Ignition Facility
Slow Light Propagation in a Thin Optical Fiber via Electromagnetically Induced Transparency
We propose a novel configuration that utilizes electromagnetically induced
transparency (EIT) to tailor a fiber mode propagating inside a thin optical
fiber and coherently control its dispersion properties to drastically reduce
the group velocity of the fiber mode. The key to this proposal is: the
evanescent-like field of the thin fiber strongly couples with the surrounding
active medium, so that the EIT condition is met by the medium. We show how the
properties of the fiber mode is modified due to the EIT medium, both
numerically and analytically. We demonstrate that the group velocity of the new
modified fiber mode can be drastically reduced (approximately 44 m/sec) using
the coherently prepared orthohydrogen doped in a matrix of parahydrogen crystal
as the EIT medium.Comment: 10 pages in two column RevTex4, 6 Figure
Power scaling analysis of fiber lasers and amplifiers based on non-silica materials
A developed formalism for analyzing the power scaling of diffraction limited fiber lasers and amplifiers is applied to a wider range of materials. Limits considered include thermal rupture, thermal lensing, melting of the core, stimulated Raman scattering, stimulated Brillouin scattering, optical damage, bend induced limits on core diameter and limits to coupling of pump diode light into the fiber. For conventional fiber lasers based upon silica, the single aperture, diffraction limited power limit was found to be 36.6kW. This is a hard upper limit that results from an interaction of the stimulated Raman scattering with thermal lensing. This result is dependent only upon physical constants of the material and is independent of the core diameter or fiber length. Other materials will have different results both in terms of ultimate power out and which of the many limits is the determining factor in the results. Materials considered include silica doped with Tm and Er, YAG and YAG based ceramics and Yb doped phosphate glass. Pros and cons of the various materials and their current state of development will be assessed. In particular the impact of excess background loss on laser efficiency is discussed
Image processing and control of a programmable spatial light modulator for spatial beam shaping
Abstract not provide
A programmable beam shaping system for tailoring the profile of high fluence laser beams
Customized spatial light modulators have been designed and fabricated for use as precision beam shaping devices in fusion class laser systems. By inserting this device in a low-fluence relay plane upstream of the amplifier chain, 'blocker' obscurations can be programmed into the beam profile to shadow small isolated flaws on downstream optical components that might otherwise limit the system operating energy. In this two stage system, 1920 x 1080 bitmap images are first imprinted on incoherent, 470 nm address beams via pixilated liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) modulators. To realize defined masking functions with smooth apodized shapes and no pixelization artifacts, address beam images are projected onto custom fabricated optically-addressable light valves. Each valve consists of a large, single pixel liquid cell in series with a photoconductive Bismuth silicon Oxide (BSO) crystal. The BSO crystal enables bright and dark regions of the address image to locally control the voltage supplied to the liquid crystal layer which in turn modulates the amplitude of the coherent beams at 1053 nm. Valves as large as 24 mm x 36 mm have been fabricated with low wavefront distortion (<0.5 waves) and antireflection coatings for high transmission (>90%) and etalon suppression to avoid spectral and temporal ripple. This device in combination with a flaw inspection system and optic registration strategy represents a new approach for extending the operational lifetime of high fluence laser optics
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Ultrabright Laser-based MeV-class Light Source
We report first light from a novel, new source of 10-ps 0.776-MeV gamma-ray pulses known as T-REX (Thomson-Radiated Extreme X-rays). The MeV-class radiation produced by TREX is unique in the world with respect to its brightness, spectral purity, tunability, pulse duration and laser-like beam character. With T-REX, one can use photons to efficiently probe and excite the isotope-dependent resonant structure of atomic nucleus. This ability will be enabling to an entirely new class of isotope-specific, high resolution imaging and detection capabilities
Programmable beam spatial shaping system for the National Ignition Facility
A system of customized spatial light modulators has been installed onto the front end of the laser system at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The devices are capable of shaping the beam profile at a low-fluence relay plane upstream of the amplifier chain. Their primary function is to introduce 'blocker' obscurations at programmed locations within the beam profile. These obscurations are positioned to shadow small, isolated flaws on downstream optical components that might otherwise limit the system operating energy. The modulators were designed to enable a drop-in retrofit of each of the 48 existing Pre Amplifier Modules (PAMs) without compromising their original performance specifications. This was accomplished by use of transmissive Optically Addressable Light Valves (OALV) based on a Bismuth Silicon Oxide photoconductive layer in series with a twisted nematic liquid crystal (LC) layer. These Programmable Spatial Shaper packages in combination with a flaw inspection system and optic registration strategy have provided a robust approach for extending the operational lifetime of high fluence laser optics on NIF
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