Development of a DPSSL pump for a 10 Hz petawatt laser system

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Petawatt (PW) femtosecond lasers are key for the realisation of high-brightness and compact radiation and particle sources for medical therapies and remote high-resolution imaging.Petawatt (PW) femtosecond lasers are key for the realisation of high-brightness and compact radiation and particle sources for medical therapies and remote high-resolution imaging.However, recent developments in the field of high energy, high repetition rate diode-pumped solid state lasers (DPSSLs) allow the replacement of flash lamps with DPSSLs, resulting in a dramatic increase in repetition rate and efficiency.STFC is now developing the Extreme Photonics Application Centre (EPAC), a new laser facility based on a 10 Hz PW titanium-sapphire amplifier pumped by a frequency-doubled DiPOLE100 system.The proposed project will focus on the optimisation of DiPOLE100 for operation in EPAC and on the investigation of laser materials and components. The candidate will be responsible for her own research activities, ranging from fundamental modelling and system design to installation and testing. In particular, the candidate will have the opportunity to work on the optimisation of DiPOLE100s frequency doubling, by implementing advanced polarisation compensation schemes and large-aperture beam shaping. The candidate will also study the impact of high energy, high average power operation on materials and components to maximise system resilience and reliability. Options for future upgrades of EPAC to 100 Hz will also be investigated as part of this project.