Leonardo’s homogenized pump engine is a customizable, highly integrated 940 nm laser diode pump source that delivers a square output beam with excellent homogenization. The optical output is capable of holding tight wavelength specifications and peak-power tolerance from single-shot to full duty cycle, independent of pulse width.
Aside from the optical performance, the system configuration is very flexible. Composed of typically two optical pump heads and a control rack which houses power supplies and cooling systems, it is possible to change working distance in conjunction with beam size. The peak power level can be configured to be 29 kW, 43 kW, or 57 kW, and its operation can be controlled locally or remotely, making system monitoring available to the user through built-in sensors and firmware.
The homogenized pump engine’s design began with the demand for a perfectly homogenized beam to evenly pump a gain medium independent of operating condition, such as repetition rate, pulse width, and power level. Typically, pump systems change their output beam parameters with changing operational conditions. Leonardo was able to design a solution with the homogenized pump engine that produces a nearly perfectly constant output beam for all operational conditions. The implementation of a high precision imaging homogenizer design resulted in homogeneity greater than 95%, a very narrow spectral width of >75% power within 4.5 nm, and very sharp edges that are characterized by a transition from <10% to >90% of intensity within 3% of the width of the intensity plateau. Essentially, this is a high-power device that directs most of the power into the useful beam size, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Measured far-field beam profile
Current applications of the homogenized pump engine are heavily in the scientific market. The design and power level of this system lends itself to pumping amplifiers for high-energy laser systems. Such laser systems can be part of petawatt laser drivers that could be used in a variety of applications that may go beyond the scientific realm. Secondary sources are an example of such an emerging application that has generated a lot of commercial interest. These sources can create high-energy electron beams, proton beams, neutron beams, muon beams, ion beams, and very brilliant x-ray beams.
With sources of this kind, applications in medical treatments, material inspection, and border security can become more feasible and accessible.
- Cancer treatment: can benefit from well-defined, compact ion beam sources that target a defined tissue location, only affecting cancerous tissue and leaving healthy tissue intact.
- Concrete structures can be investigated using muon beams to detect rusting rebar, revealing structural weakness and aiding in repairs that will secure public safety.
- Ultra-fast x-ray radiation can take a still snapshot of highly dynamic, fast-moving devices which allow investigations into systems under operational load.
These are just a few possible applications. Often, sources of this type are realized by using accelerators, which are typically fixed installations and very large devices. Leonardo’s compact homogenized pump system can be instrumental in developing mobile secondary sources, opening limitless potential for advancement in real-world applications.
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