Optimization of Ti:sapphire chirped-pulse amplification laser architecture for 100 TW power

Summary form only given. Pushing the peak power of Ti:sapphire laser systems to 100 TW level and beyond is connected with several special technological and physical problems. One of them is associated with residual phase distortions arising in chirped pulse amplification systems after pulse recompression. They can lead to the appearance of a pedestal and a lack of full recompression of the laser pulse over the beam aperture. The amplitude front becomes bent and tilted. This problem is especially important for the case of sharp focusing on the target, because the spatially varying residual phase distortions can result in the appearance of a strong pedestal to the pulse and substantial lengthening of the pulse duration in the focal plane. Here we present results of a detailed three dimensional dispersive ray tracing analysis of Ti:sapphire 100 TW laser systems with several arrangements most commonly used in multiterawatt laser stretcher-compressor aberrational schemes.