https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00152-3
Large temporal window contrast measurement using optical parametric amplification and low-sensitivity detectors
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
Corresponding author: a rpjohnson@lanl.gov
Received:
9
October
2008
Revised:
4
March
2009
Published online:
21
May
2009
To address few-shot pulse contrast measurement, we present a correlator coupling the high gain of an optical parametric amplification scheme with large pulse tilt. This combination enables a low sensitivity charge coupled device (CCD) to observe features in the pulse intensity within a 50 ps single-shot window with inter-window dynamic range >107 and <0.5 mJ input energy. We also consider use of optical densities to boost the CCD dynamic range within a single temporal window.
PACS: 42.60.Jf – Beam characteristics: profile, intensity, and power; spatial pattern formation / 42.65.Yj – Optical parametric oscillators and amplifiers / 52.38.Kd – Laser-plasma acceleration of electrons and ions
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009
