DiPOLE100: A 100 J, 10 Hz DPSSL using cryogenic gas cooled Yb:YAG multi slab amplifier technology

In this paper we provide an overview of the design of DiPOLE100, a cryogenic gas-cooled DPSSL system based on Yb:YAG multi-slab amplifier technology, designed to efficiently produce 100 J pulses, between 2 and 10 ns in duration, at up to 10 Hz repetition rate. The current system is being built at the CLF for the HiLASE project and details of the front end, intermediate 10J cryo-amplifier and main 100J cryo-amplifier are presented. To date, temporal and spatial pulse shaping from the front end has been demonstrated, with 10 ns pulses of arbitrary shape (flat-top, linear ramps, and exponentials) produced with energies up to 150 mJ at 10 Hz. The pump diodes and cryogenic gas cooling system for the 10J cryo-amplifier have been fully commissioned and laser amplification testing has begun. The 100J, 940 nm pump sources have met full specification delivering pulses with 250 kW peak power and duration up to 1.2 ms at 10 Hz, corresponding to 3 kW average power each. An intensity modulation across the 78 mm square flat-top profile of < 5 % rms was measured. The 100J gain media slabs have been supplied and their optical characteristics tested. Commissioning of the 100J amplifier will commence shortly.