Generation of Temporal Low Noise Laser Pulses for Investigating of Laser Peening Process

Abstract

We have demonstrated an optical parametric chirped pulse amplifi cation (OPCPA)/Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk hybrid laser system having the hundred mJ pulse energy level with sub-picosecond duration and high temporal contrast. At an input chirped-pulse energy of 3.8 mJ from an OPCPA preamplifer an output energy of 130 mJ has been generated from a multipass laser-diode (LD) pumped Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk amplifi er. A recompressed pulse duration of 450 fs with a contrast level of less than 7.2 × 10^‒9 at 150 ps before the main pulse has been obtained. The contrast level was the highest value achieved in a Yb:YAG chirped pulse amplifi cation (CPA) laser system at the hundred mJ level. This laser system is well-suited to studying laser matter interactions in the laser peening mechanism.