Title :
A high power and high repetition rate mode-locked Ti-sapphire laser for photoinjectors
Author :
Poelker, Matt ; Hansknecht, John
Author_Institution :
JLAB, Newport News, VA, USA
Abstract :
A high power CW mode-locked Ti-sapphire laser has been constructed to drive the Jefferson Lab polarized photoinjector and provide >500 mW average power with 50 ps pulsewidths at 499 MHz or 1497 MHz pulse repetition rates. This laser allows efficient, high current synchronous photoinjection for extended periods of time before intrusive steps must be taken to restore the quantum efficiency of the strained layer GaAs photocathode. The use of this laser has greatly enhanced the maximum high polarization beam current capability and operating lifetime of the Jefferson Lab photoinjector compared with previous performance using diode laser systems. A novel mode-locking technique provides a simple means to phase-lock the optical pulse train of the laser to the accelerator and allows for operation at higher pulse repetition rates to ~3 GHz without modification of the laser cavity. The laser design and characteristics are described below
Keywords :
laser cavity resonators; laser mode locking; particle beam injection; photocathodes; sapphire; solid lasers; titanium; 1497 MHz; 499 MHz; 50 ps; Al2O3:Ti; GaAs; Jefferson Lab; high current synchronous photoinjection; high power; high repetition rate mode-locked Ti-sapphire laser; laser cavity; photocathode; photoinjectors; quantum efficiency; Cathodes; Diode lasers; Gallium arsenide; Laser beams; Laser mode locking; Optical design; Optical polarization; Optical pulses; Power lasers; Power system restoration;
Conference_Titel :
Particle Accelerator Conference, 2001. PAC 2001. Proceedings of the 2001
Conference_Location :
Chicago, IL
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7191-7
DOI :
10.1109/PAC.2001.987441
