Diffraction limited focal spot in the interaction chamber using phase retrieval adaptive optics

In order to provide the end user with a diffraction limited collimated beam, adaptive optics phase correction systems are now a standard feature of ultra intense laser facilities. Generally speaking, these systems are based on a deformable mirror controlled in closed loop configuration in order to correct the aberrations of the beam measured by the wavefront sensor. Such implementation corrects for most of the aberrations of the laser. However, the aberrations of the optical elements located downstream of the wavefront sensor are not measured and therefore not corrected by the adaptive optics loop while they are degrading the final focal spot. We present an improved correction strategy and results based on a combination of both usual closed loop and phase retrieval in order to reach the diffraction limit at the focal spot inside the interaction chamber. The off axis parabola alignment camera located at the focal spot is used in combination of the deformable mirror and wavefront sensor to get images of the focal spot. The residual aberrations of the focal spot are measured by a Phase Retrieval algorithm using the acquired focal spot images. Then the adaptive optics loop is run in order to precompensate for these aberrations, which leads to diffraction limited focal spot in the interaction chamber.