Vulcan - A versatile high-power glass laser for multiuser experiments

This paper reports the design and characterization of the newly upgraded Nd:glass laser facility at the Rutherford Laboratory. Emphasis is placed on the unusual aspects consequent on its role as a multiuser facility, where reliability and flexibility are of paramount importance. The basic facility configuration is of two high-power laser systems in parallel-a six-beam laser for implosion experiments and a separate high-power single beamline for either X-ray backlighting diagnostics of implosion experiments or use in a separate single-beam target area. Additional flexibility is provided by remotely controlled changeover mirrors enabling groups of amplifiers to be used in different combinations for various energies and shot repetition rates. Either a mode-locked or a -switched oscillator can be selected to provide a range of pulse durations from 50 ps to many nanoseconds. Harmonic generation is used routinely to give a choice of wavelengths for different experiments. The six-beam system is normally run at the second harmonic, although the fundamental wavelength is also available, while the single-beam target area can use fundamental, second, or third harmonics.