A high-bandwidth electrical-waveform generator based on aperture-coupled striplines for OMEGA pulse-shaping applications

Summary form only given. Pulsed laser systems emit optical pulses having a temporal pulse shape characteristic of the particular type of laser design. Recent advances in technology have produced laser-pulse shaping systems where the laser temporal profile can be specified in advance and controlled to a high degree of accuracy. The present pulse-shaping system at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory consists of many components to shape optical pulses. This paper will discuss a greatly simplified pulse-shaping system that offers cost and performance benefits over current systems The key component in this system is the aperture-coupled stripline (ACSL) that generates shaped electrical waveforms.