Optimal control of amplitude on a 100 TW Nd:glass laser chain

Summary form only given. The control of amplitude and phase is now routinely achieved for high power repetitive lasers. By using an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter (Dazzler/spl reg/), one can simultaneously modulate pulse, amplitude and phase. Our 100 TW multi-glass amplifier laser starts with a Ti:sapphire oscillator, a stretcher and a regenerative Ti:sapphire amplifier, followed by a series of mixed glass phosphate silicate amplifiers to reach the 100 J level. We have placed our acousto-optic device at the output of the 18 nm bandwidth Ti:sapphire oscillator. The 4.5 cm long crystal yields a spectral resolution of 6 ps/sup -1/. Shaping of 100 fs pulses can be achieved on more than 50 independent points.