Deployment of a spatial light modulator-based beam-shaping system on the OMEGA EP laser

M. Barczys; S.-W. Bahk; M. Spilatro; D. Coppenbarger; E. Hill; T. H. Hinterman; R. W. Kidder; J. Puth; T. Touris; J. D. Zuegel

doi:10.1117/12.2002853

18 February 2013 Deployment of a spatial light modulator-based beam-shaping system on the OMEGA EP laser

M. Barczys, S.-W. Bahk, M. Spilatro, D. Coppenbarger, E. Hill, T. H. Hinterman, R. W. Kidder, J. Puth, T. Touris, J. D. Zuegel

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8602, High Power Lasers for Fusion Research II; 86020F (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2002853
Event: SPIE LASE, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

A beam-shaping system, based on a liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator, has been deployed on two of the long-pulse UV beamlines of the OMEGA EP laser. Simultaneous control of both amplitude and phase with a single spatial light modulator is possible by encoding intensity information on a high-frequency carrier phase, which is subsequently removed by a low-pass spatial filter. The beam-shaping system has been integrated into operations of the existing front-end laser source and has demonstrated improved beam uniformity at multiple points in the laser. The system operates in closed loop to optimize the input infrared beam’s spatial-amplitude profile prior to amplification and frequency conversion. Measured amplified beam profiles from near-field cameras along the laser beam’s path are used to specify the desired input infrared beam shape. The system is used to correct local hot spots in the input beam profile and to refine the amplifier gain precompensation profile that is applied to the input beam with separate static apodizers. At present, the beam-shaping system is used only to correct amplitude variations in the beam profile, but future use may also utilize the system’s capability to apply wavefront corrections to the beam.

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M. Barczys, S.-W. Bahk, M. Spilatro, D. Coppenbarger, E. Hill, T. H. Hinterman, R. W. Kidder, J. Puth, T. Touris, and J. D. Zuegel "Deployment of a spatial light modulator-based beam-shaping system on the OMEGA EP laser", Proc. SPIE 8602, High Power Lasers for Fusion Research II, 86020F (18 February 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2002853

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