Multipass reconfiguration of the HELEN Nd:glass laser at the Atomic Weapons Establishment

Appl Opt. 2002 Jun 20;41(18):3497-505. doi: 10.1364/ao.41.003497.

Abstract

The HELEN high-power Nd:glass laser has been rebuilt in a new multipass configuration that requires fewer components to maintain existing performance. This is expected to lead to greater system availability and reduced running costs. We describe the new design, discuss some of the key issues that had to be addressed, and present operational results.