Diode-pumped Yb:CaF $$_2$$ 2 multipass amplifier producing 50 mJ with dynamic analysis for high repetition rate operation

• DOI: 10.1007/s00340-014-5872-4
• Publication Date: 2014-06-19T11:25:48Z
• Authors: Florence Friebel; Alain Pellegrina; Dimitris N. Papad...; Patrice Camy; Jean-Louis Doualan; Richard Moncorgé; Patrick Georges; Frédéric Druon
• Keywords: [SPI.OPTI] Engineering Sciences [physics]/Optics / Photonic; 0103 physical sciences; [SPI.OPTI]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Optics / Photonic; 530; 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy

The dynamic thermal issues of the Yb:CaF $$_{2}$$ crystals within a multi-tens-mJ-energy multipass amplifier operating in the 20–100 Hz repetition rate range and pumped in quasi-cw regime have been studied at different timescales. Thermal response times of the system have been precisely investigated and analyzed, for the first time to our best knowledge in such amplifiers. This study includes a dual timescale analysis: in the long-time-scale (second) with direct thermography mapping and in the millisecond range with thermal lensing in a pump-probe configuration. Very atypical positive lens behavior with fluorites will also be presented and discussed. This complete analysis is used to demonstrate the capability of $$\hbox {Yb:CaF}_{2}$$ multipass amplifier systems for operating the amplifier at 20 Hz with 57 mJ and 100 Hz with 32-mJ stable regime. Indeed, high repetition rate multipass amplifier has been realized for the first time with $$\hbox {Yb:CaF}_{2}$$ and for this energy. The results have been analyzed precisely to take into account the thermal issues and excellent beam quality, with a $$M^2$$ of 1.1. The pointing stability of 20 μrad has been measured documenting the reliability of the high repetition rate mJ amplifier.