University of Strathclyde - Equipment Account"

我们建议对Strathclyde现有的高功率飞秒激光系统进行必要且经济高效的升级，以增加其输出功率，提高其稳定性，并为其提供必要的光束控制和诊断系统，以评估其性能并控制(调整)几个重要的输出光束参数。升级包括一个低温制冷器，以提高最终激光放大器的功率消耗和热稳定性；高能泵浦激光器，用于最终放大器；一个波前传感器和变形镜系统，用于测量和控制波前相位；以及一个集成的三阶交叉相关器，用于测量激光脉冲对比度。诊断系统对于优化激光参数和实现所需的聚焦特性是必要的。低温制冷器可以将最终放大器晶体的冷却从28W增加到80W，从而使使用新的高能泵浦激光器的激光输出功率增加到40TW。升级后的激光系统将提高稳定性，增加强度，缩短安装和对准时间，从而增加激光系统的使用时间，以便更好地使用系统和斯特拉斯克莱德的光束线设施。升级后的激光将用于实现阿尔法-X项目的关键质量提案(同时提交)的目标，该项目涉及5所大学(斯特拉斯克莱德大学、格拉斯哥大学、圣安德鲁斯大学、邓迪大学和兰开斯特大学)和外部合作者。研究方案包括研究高场强下的集体辐射-光束-等离子体相互作用，从激光-等离子体尾迹加速器产生超短持续时间高亮度粒子束，开发产生相干和非相干辐射的新方法，以及源的应用。应用方案涉及使用高能电子进行放射治疗的研究，以及生产用于医学成像的医用放射性同位素的方法。该设施还将被用作通过概念验证项目与行业接触的平台。设施建成后，升级后的设施将转移到苏帕苏格兰等离子加速器应用中心(SCAPA)。

We propose to undertake an essential and cost effective upgrade of an existing high-power femtosecond laser system at Strathclyde to increase its output power, improve its stability and provide it with the necessary beam control and diagnostics systems to evaluate its performance and control (adjust) several important output beam parameters. The upgrade comprises a cryogenic cooler, to improve the power dissipation and thermal stability of the final laser amplifier Ti:sapphire crystal, a high-energy pump laser for the final amplifier, a wavefront sensor and deformable mirror system, to measure and control the wavefront phase, and an integrated 3rd-order cross-correlator, to measure the laser pulse contrast. The diagnostic systems are necessary to optimise the laser parameters and achieve the desired properties at focus. The cryo-cooler allows cooling of the final amplifier crystal to be increased from 28 W to 80 W, which enables the output power of the laser to be increased to 40 TW using the new high-energy pump laser. The upgraded will improve stability, increase intensity and shorten set-up and alignment times, thus increasing the usable time of the laser system to allow better use of the system and the beamline facilities at Strathclyde. The upgraded laser will be used to deliver the objectives of a Critical Mass proposal (submitted simultaneously) that is part of the ALPHA-X project, which involves 5 universities (Strathclyde, Glasgow, St Andrews, Dundee & Lancaster), and external Collaborators. The research programme includes a study of collective radiation-beam-plasma interactions at high field intensities, the production of ultra-short duration high brightness particle beams from the laser-plasma wakefield accelerator (LWFA), development of new methods of producing coherent and incoherent radiation, and applications of the sources. The applications programme involves an investigation of using high energy electrons for radiotherapy and also methods to produce medical radio-isotopes for medical imaging. The facility will also be used as a platform for engaging with industry through proof-of-concept projects.The upgraded facilities will be transferred to the SUPA Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma-based Accelerators (SCAPA) when the facility has been constructed.