A front end for ultra-intense OPCPA

A front end is being constructed for ultra-intense optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) system at 910 nm. Technologies are being developed for large-scale systems based on deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) optical parametric amplifiers that could be pumped by kilojoule-class Nd:glass lasers such as OMEGA EP. Results are reviewed for a prototype white-light-seeded chain of noncollinear optical parametric amplifiers (NOPA's) and the development of a cylindrical Offner stretcher that has advantages over standard stretchers for ultra-intense, high-contrast systems. The front-end development will culminate in demonstrating a mid-scale optical parametric amplifier line (OPAL) that will use scalable technologies to produce 7.5-J, 15-fs pulses with a temporal contrast exceeding 1010.