Initial high-intensity laser propagation experiments at the mobile ultrafast high-energy laser facility (MU-HELF)

Daniel Thul; Robert Bernath; Nathan Bodnar; Haley Kerrigan; Danielle Reyes; Jessica Peña; Patrick Romayah; Shermineh Rostami Fairchild; Martin C. Richardson

doi:10.1117/12.2513441

4 March 2019 Initial high-intensity laser propagation experiments at the mobile ultrafast high-energy laser facility (MU-HELF)

Daniel Thul, Robert Bernath, Nathan Bodnar, Haley Kerrigan, Danielle Reyes, Jessica Peña, Patrick Romayah, Shermineh Rostami Fairchild, Martin C. Richardson

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10910, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXI; 109101Z (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2513441
Event: SPIE LASE, 2019, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

This work presents the initial activation of the Mobile Ultrafast High-Energy Laser Facility (MU-HELF) located on a 1 km test range at the Townes Institute Science and Technology Experimentation Facility (TISTEF). The MU-HELF was designed to study nonlinear laser propagation effects including filamentation and produces pulses at 800 nm with current peak powers as high as 5 TW. The pulse width, energy, size, and focusing conditions of the launched beams are all readily adjustable. Several data collection techniques have been implemented that enable high-resolution, single-shot beam profiles, spectra, and energy measurements at any point along the range. Atmospheric conditions are also continuously measured during laser propagation using the array of monitoring equipment available at TISTEF. The newly active test facilities and data collection procedures demonstrated here will drive future in-depth high-intensity laser propagation studies and development of field-deployable applications.

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Daniel Thul, Robert Bernath, Nathan Bodnar, Haley Kerrigan, Danielle Reyes, Jessica Peña, Patrick Romayah, Shermineh Rostami Fairchild, and Martin C. Richardson "Initial high-intensity laser propagation experiments at the mobile ultrafast high-energy laser facility (MU-HELF)", Proc. SPIE 10910, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXI, 109101Z (4 March 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2513441

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KEYWORDS

Atmospheric propagation

Laser beam propagation

Ultrafast phenomena

Laser applications

Clouds

Diagnostics

Wind energy

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