Feedback-stabilized Nd:YLF amplifier system for generation of picosecond pulse trains of an exactly rectangular envelope

Author

Will, Ingo ; Liero, Armin ; Mertins, Dieter ; Sandner, Wolfgang

Author_Institution

Max Born Inst. for Nonlinear Opt. & Short Pulse Spectrosc., Berlin, Germany

Volume

34

Issue

10

fYear

1998

fDate

10/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2020

Lastpage

2028

Abstract

We describe the amplifier chain of the photocathode laser of the TESLA Test Facility. This chain is optimized for amplification of trains of picosecond pulses. At its output, pulse trains with a rectangularly shaped envelope of 0.7% flatness and a long-term stability of the energy in the individual picosecond pulses in excess of 0.9% are obtained. This stability is achieved by using a computerized feedback control system, which we describe in detail together with the versatile feedback algorithm applied. The feedback loop performs a tight adjustment of both the shape and magnitude of the flashlamp pulses as well as the starting time of the pump with respect to the pulse train. High-current insulated gate bipolar transistors are used to directly manipulate the flashlamp current in a microsecond time scale

Keywords

computerised control; flash lamps; high-speed optical techniques; laser feedback; laser stability; lithium compounds; neodymium; optical variables control; photocathodes; physical instrumentation control; solid lasers; yttrium compounds; LiYF4:Nd; TESLA Test Facility; YLF:Nd; amplifier chain; computerized feedback control system; exactly rectangular envelope; feedback algorithm; feedback loop; feedback-stabilized Nd:YLF amplifier system; flashlamp pulses; high-current insulated gate bipolar transistors; long-term stability; microsecond time scale; photocathode laser; picosecond pulse train generation; pump starting time; rectangularly shaped envelope; Cathodes; Feedback control; Feedback loop; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; Laser feedback; Pulse amplifiers; Pulse shaping methods; Shape; Stability; Test facilities;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.720242

Filename

720242