4-22 High intensity laser application laboratory
Overview
The MBI high-field laser application laboratory develops, applies and provides femto- and picosecond laser systems operating in a broad intensity range up to 1019W/cm2 and beyond, complemented by short-pulse, high-average-power lasers for special applications. Apart from the research towards highest possible intensities at high pulse contrast, part of the activities is focussed on diagnostics development for the on-line characterisation of the laser parameters.

The HFL is located in a separate building with restricted access due to radiation safety and cleanliness considerations. Its structure and equipment allows to perform laser-matter interaction experiments such as single atom ionisation as well as complex laser-plasma interaction studies. The latter include incoherent and coherent x-ray emission (collisional x-ray laser) as well as generation and acceleration of charged particles, with focussing on protons and highly charged ions and their applications. A diversity of diagnostic equipment with high energetic (spectral), spatial and temporal resolution, consisting of optical and x-ray streak cameras, CCD cameras, x-ray and EUV-spectrometers, and Thomson spectrometers is available.

According to the general mission of the MBI these facilities are not only used for the in-house research (mainly projects 1-02, 2-01, 2-02 and 3-04), but also offered to external users who are interested in research collaborations with MBI groups. A broad field of disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies is addressed, ranging from atomic, laser and plasma physics to material science, metrology up to industrial relevant applications. The laboratory is also open to external users in within the Transnational Access Activity of the 5th and 6th Framework Programs of the EU (Integrated Laser Infrastructure Network LASERLAB-EUROPE). The following systems are in operation:

Two high-peak power lasers, capable of delivering intensities between 1018 and more than 1019 W/cm2 , in particular, a 10 Hz CPA 20 TW (35 fs, 700 mJ) Ti:Sapphire laser and a single shot ~10 TW (0.8 ps, ~8 J) glass laser. Presently, synchronization of the two system for unique proton imaging experiments in laser-based plasma physics is under development.
Additionally, a prototype of a collisionally excited nickel-like Ag X-ray laser at 13.9 nm with output energy of several microJ in 30 ps, using a shaped 3J picoscond pump pulse, has been successfully demonstrated. While this laser is, in principle, available for applications, it is still subject to intensive research efforts with the medium-term goal of developing a novel table-top, high-repetition rate and high average power EUV laser.
The following supporting systems and infrastructure are available in the high field laser application laboratory:

SPIDER for a quasi-on-line control of the duration of the Ti:Sa laser pulse at full energy (10 fs resolution)
Implementation of an adaptive mirror- feedback with wavefront controlling Hartmann sensor, that resulted in a improvement of the focus intensity, leading to an intensity of about 1019W/cm2.
Auto-correlator for on-line pulse duration measurement of CPA-glass laser pulse
Update of the beam propagation system for five interaction chambers in separate laboratories, surrounding the central laser hall
Implementation of radiation protection system for highly energetic charged particles and x-rays (dosemeters)
Peak intensity determination by single atom ionisation measurement in inert gases (Xe, Kr)4 channel Thomson parabola for ion spectra measurements and 4 channel neutron TOF developed
3rd order correlator for the Ti:Sapphire laser with high dynamics range as well as a sigle shor 3rd order correlator for the glass laser system. Both for monitoring of shape and contrast of the compressed highly energetic pulses.
System for on-line monitoring of the spectral content of the glass laser pulses
Experimental arrangement for guiding experiments at relativistic intensities (see also access experiments).
Furthermore the HFL-laboratory is equipped with a variety of commercial diagnostics enabling measurements with high spectral, spatial and temporal resolution (optical and x-ray streak and CCD cameras, different spectrometers from optical down to x-ray range).