The Prague Asterix Laser System

TLDR

The Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) is a new international laboratory where research teams compete for beam time. The PALS Center operates an iodine photodissociation laser delivering up to 1.2 kJ in ~400 ps pulses at 1.315 µm, with optional frequency doubling/tripling via large nonlinear crystals, upgraded beam delivery, a twin interaction chamber, adaptive optics, a solid‑state oscillator, and a femtosecond extension toward petawatt pulses. Initial experiments demonstrate the system’s performance and outline planned upgrades. The ASTERIX IV laser, originally described by Baumhacker et al.

Abstract

The Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) is a new international laboratory where research teams are invited to compete for the beam time. The PALS Center runs an iodine photodissociation high-power laser system delivering up to 1.2 kJ of energy in ∼400 ps pulses at the wavelength of 1.315 μm. Optional doubling and tripling of the frequency is assured by large-diameter nonlinear crystals. The ASTERIX IV laser [H. Baumhacker et al., Appl. Phys. B 61, 325 (1995)], transferred from Garching into a new laser hall in Prague, was updated and put into operation on 8 June 2000. These upgrades include new beam delivery options and a twin interaction chamber, which is designed flexibly for a broad spectrum of applications. Results of the first series of experiments are presented and some planned upgrades are briefly described. These include implementation of adaptive optics, replacement of the iodine master oscillator by a more flexible solid state oscillator based on fiber optics, and a femtosecond extension of the laser output to reach the petawatt pulse power region.