Beam control for high-energy laser devices

Paul H. Merritt; John R. Albertine

doi:10.1117/1.OE.52.2.021005

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3 October 2012 Beam control for high-energy laser devices

Paul H. Merritt, John R. Albertine

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Optical Engineering, 52(2), 021005 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.52.2.021005

Abstract

Beam-control systems for high-average-power lasers began in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Early systems propagated the beams across laboratories using heavy-water-cooled copper optics and open-beam trains with commercial fans to provide fresh air. They have evolved in the intervening 40-plus years to include highly sophisticated gimbaled-control systems with extremely high-reflectance uncooled optics and adaptive optics to compensate for less-than-ideal laser beams and for atmospheric distortions. An overview of that evolution is presented.

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Paul H. Merritt and John R. Albertine "Beam control for high-energy laser devices," Optical Engineering 52(2), 021005 (3 October 2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.52.2.021005

Published: 3 October 2012

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