Applied Physics Seminar | Coherent combining of femtosecond fiber lasers in time and space – towards power scalable multi-TW drivers of laser plasma accelerators and secondary radiation sources

Abstract:
Advanced particle accelerators based on laser wakefield plasmas can achieve GeV gradients over short distances, and thus could significantly reduce size of accelerators for frontier science and for numerous practical applications. However, these accelerators, as well as secondary-radiation sources based on high-intensity laser-matter interactions, will require laser drivers producing femtosecond pulses at multi-J energy levels, and 10s kHz repetition rates (100s of kW of average power), far exceeding what is possible with current lasers. We are developing a laser driver approach using coherent temporal and spatial combining of large core fiber amplifiers that is enabling such unprecedented power and energy scalability in femtosecond
lasers. This talk will describe these novel approaches, overview current state-of-the-art, and discuss envisioned pathways for developing this new laser technology further.