Laser-Plasma and Laser-Matter Interactions Laboratory

The Laser-Plasma and Laser-Matter Interactions Laboratory is located in room B-538 EBU-I on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The lab is used for experimental studies of optics damage, laser propagation in heterogeneous media, laser-ablation plume dynamics and dynamic response of materials.

The lab provides energy sources and diagnostics used for performing research on Inertial Fusion Energy and related applications. It contains an inventory of high-power (5-10 J/cm2) optics for visible and UV applications, including metal and dielectric mirrors, 1/2 and 1/4 waveplates, polarizing cube beamsplitters, ordinary (reflective) and transmissive holographic beam samplers, etc.

Two main energy sources are available. 1. The highest power density (over 1014 W/cm2) is obtained with a Spectra Physics QuantaRay Nd:YAG laser with 10 ns nominal pulse length and energy output of 2 J at the fundamental wavelength (1064 nm). Harmonic generator crystals allow operation at 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 micron wavelength with progressively lower energy yield. Injection seeding provides single longitudinal mode output. 2. A Lambda Physik Compex 201multigas eximer laser is also available for ablation and damage studies. It has beam smoothness of ~10%. With the unstable resonator upgrade, it provides over 450 mJ of 248 nm light (using KrF) with less than 0.4 mrad divergence.