Target diagnostics for commissioning the AWE HELEN Laser Facility 100TW chirped pulse amplification beam

The capability of the HELEN laser at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston has been enhanced by the addition of a short-pulse laser beam to augment the twin opposing nanosecond time scale beams. The short-pulse beam utilizes the chirped pulse amplification (CPA) technique and is capable of delivering up to 60J on target in a 500fs pulse, around 100TW, at the fundamental laser wavelength of 1.054μm. During the commissioning phase a number of diagnostic systems have been fielded, these include: x-ray pinhole imaging of the laser heated spot, charged particle time of flight, thermoluminescent dosimeter array, calibrated radiochromic film, and CR39 nuclear track detector. These diagnostic systems have been used to verify the performance of the CPA beam to achieve a focused intensity of around 1019Wcm−2 and to underwrite the facility radiological safety system.