Adaptive optics on petawatt lasers: current performance of the Texas Petawatt Laser
2011
In this paper, we report on current developments aimed at improving the focusability of the Texas Petawatt Laser. Two
major campaigns have been commissioned that address the issue of focusability. First, we implemented a closed loop,
32 actuator bi-moprh deformable mirror (DFM) to compensate for aberrations in the optical train and second, a color
corrector lens assembly was installed that compensates for chromatic errors accumulated in broadband (>15 nm), large
aperture (>20 cm) laser systems.
We will present in detail, pre and post correction results with the DFM and describe challenges faced when one activates
a single shot, high energy closed loop system. Secondly, we will provide modeling and experimental results of our color
correction system. This is a novel approach to a problem only seen in high energy, broadband, large aperture laser
pulses.
By using color correction optics we have demonstrated a 6X increase in focal intensity. With the installation of the
DFM, the rms wavefront error in the system was reduced from 2.4 waves to .131 waves, further increasing intensities
seen at focus by 1 order of magnitude.
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