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Third harmonic order imaging as a focal spot diagnostic for high intensity laser-solid interactions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2009

B. Dromey ,
C. Bellei ,
D.C. Carroll ,
R.J. Clarke ,
J.S. Green ,
S. Kar ,
S. Kneip ,
K. Markey ,
S.R. Nagel  and
L. Willingale
...Show all authors
B. Dromey
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
C. Bellei
Affiliation:
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
D.C. Carroll
Affiliation:
SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
R.J. Clarke
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Chilton, Didcot, Didcot, UK
J.S. Green
Affiliation:
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
S. Kar
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
S. Kneip
Affiliation:
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
K. Markey
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
S.R. Nagel
Affiliation:
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
L. Willingale
Affiliation:
Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
P. McKenna
Affiliation:
SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
D. Neely
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Chilton, Didcot, Didcot, UK
Z. Najmudin
Affiliation:
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
K. Krushelnick
Affiliation:
Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
P.A. Norreys
Affiliation:
Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Chilton, Didcot, Didcot, UK
M. Zepf*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Matthew Zepf, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK. E-mail: m.zepf@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

As the state of the art for high power laser systems increases from terawatt to petawatt level and beyond, a crucial parameter for routinely monitoring high intensity performance is laser spot size on a solid target during an intense interaction in the tight focus regime (<10 µm). Here we present a novel, simple technique for characterizing the spatial profile of such a laser focal spot by imaging the interaction region in third harmonic order (3ωlaser). Nearly linear intensity dependence of 3ωlaser generation for interactions >1019 Wcm−2 is demonstrated experimentally and shown to provide the basis for an effective focus diagnostic. Importantly, this technique is also shown to allow in-situ diagnosis of focal spot quality achieved after reflection from a double plasma mirror setup for very intense high contrast interactions (>1020 Wcm−2) an important application for the field of high laser contrast interaction science.

Keywords

Harmonic generationIntense laser interaction
Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , June 2009 , pp. 243 - 248
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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