Coherent beam combination laser system using SBS-PCM for high repetition rate solid-state lasers

Abstract

In this paper, the coherent beam combination technique using SBS-PCM for a high repetition rate laser will be demonstrated. It is a novel concept capable of achieving a high energy and high repetition rate laser. A phase conjugation mirror and beam combination laser using a self-phase-controlling technique for coherent beam combination is introduced in this paper. And, a practical demonstration of the coherent beam combination laser using SBS-PCM is presented. With a wave-front dividing scheme, the relative phases are measured to be less than lambda/26 even when the amplifier is operating. The coherent beam combination laser using SBS-PCMs has the additional advantage of providing accurate high speed/high rate injection of the fusion target in the LIFE reactor system. The coherent beam combination of 25 100 J/10 Hz laser modules for the 2.5 kJ/10 Hz laser beam line for the fusion energy driver is suggested, which is available with the current laser technologies. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.