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.
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May 2001
The 42nd annual meeting of the division of plasma physics of the American Physical Society and the 10th international congress on plasma physics
23-27 October 2000
Quebec City, Quebec (Canada)
Research Article|
May 01 2001
The Prague Asterix Laser System
K. Jungwirth;
K. Jungwirth
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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A. Cejnarova;
A. Cejnarova
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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L. Juha;
L. Juha
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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B. Kralikova;
B. Kralikova
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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J. Krasa;
J. Krasa
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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E. Krousky;
E. Krousky
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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P. Krupickova;
P. Krupickova
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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L. Laska;
L. Laska
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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K. Masek;
K. Masek
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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T. Mocek;
T. Mocek
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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M. Pfeifer;
M. Pfeifer
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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A. Präg;
A. Präg
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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O. Renner;
O. Renner
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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K. Rohlena;
K. Rohlena
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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B. Rus;
B. Rus
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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J. Skala;
J. Skala
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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P. Straka;
P. Straka
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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J. Ullschmied
J. Ullschmied
Joint Research Laboratory PALS of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Za Slovankou 3, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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Phys. Plasmas 8, 2495–2501 (2001)
Article history
Received:
October 19 2000
Accepted:
November 30 2000
Citation
K. Jungwirth, A. Cejnarova, L. Juha, B. Kralikova, J. Krasa, E. Krousky, P. Krupickova, L. Laska, K. Masek, T. Mocek, M. Pfeifer, A. Präg, O. Renner, K. Rohlena, B. Rus, J. Skala, P. Straka, J. Ullschmied; The Prague Asterix Laser System. Phys. Plasmas 1 May 2001; 8 (5): 2495–2501. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1350569
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