Kilowatt average-power laser for subpicosecond materials processing

Stephen V. Benson; George R. Neil; Courtlandt L. Bohn; George Biallas; David Douglas; H. Frederick Dylla; Jock Fugitt; Kevin Jordan; Geoffrey Krafft; Lia Merminga; Joe Preble; Michelle D. Shinn; Tim Siggins; Richard Walker; Byung Yunn

doi:10.1117/12.380898

3 April 2000 Kilowatt average-power laser for subpicosecond materials processing

Stephen V. Benson, George R. Neil, Courtlandt L. Bohn, George Biallas, David Douglas, H. Frederick Dylla, Jock Fugitt, Kevin Jordan, Geoffrey Krafft, Lia Merminga, Joe Preble, Michelle D. Shinn, Tim Siggins, Richard Walker, Byung Yunn

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3889, Advanced High-Power Lasers; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.380898
Event: Advanced High-Power Lasers and Applications, 1999, Osaka, Japan

Abstract

The performance of laser pulses in the sub-picosecond range for materials processing is substantially enhanced over similar fluences delivered in longer pulses. Recent advances in the development of solid state lasers have progressed significantly toward the higher average powers potentially useful for many applications. Nonetheless, prospects remain distant for multi-kilowatt sub-picosecond solid state systems such as would be required for industrial scale surface processing of metals and polymers. We present operation results from the world's first kilowatt scale ultra-fast materials processing laser. A Free Electron Laser (FEL) called the IR Demo is operational as a User Facility at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia, USA. In its initial operation at high average power it is capable of wavelengths in the 2 to 6 micron range and can produce approximately 0.7 ps pulses in a continuous train at approximately 75 MHz. This pulse length has been shown to be nearly optimal for deposition of energy in materials at the surface. Upgrades in the near future will extend operation beyond 10 kW CW average power in the near IR and kilowatt levels of power at wavelengths from 0.3 to 60 microns. This paper will cover the design and performance of this groundbreaking laser and operational aspects of the User Facility.

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Stephen V. Benson, George R. Neil, Courtlandt L. Bohn, George Biallas, David Douglas, H. Frederick Dylla, Jock Fugitt, Kevin Jordan, Geoffrey Krafft, Lia Merminga, Joe Preble, Michelle D. Shinn, Tim Siggins, Richard Walker, and Byung Yunn "Kilowatt average-power laser for subpicosecond materials processing", Proc. SPIE 3889, Advanced High-Power Lasers, (3 April 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.380898

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