Abstract

A diode pumped CPA laser system based on Yb:YAG thin disk technology [1] has been developed. The system will deliver picosecond pulses with energy up to the Joule level at a repetition rate of 100 Hz. It consists of a front-end, a CPA grating stretcher and compressor, and a chain of thin disk amplifiers (Fig. 1). The output characteristic with just the first amplifier of the chain is given. Pulse energy of more than 150 mJ, pulse duration below 2 ps, and a maximum repetition rate of 100 Hz could be demonstrated. The laser system shows a high stability of better than 0.8% (rms) measured over a period of 45 min and an excellent beam quality with M² better than 1.2.

© 2009 IEEE