Research Index / HERCULES / Schedule of previous weeks / 2004

SCHEDULE OF PREVIOUS WEEKS - 2004

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC PETAWATT

01/05

Monday

Regen in full power , SPIDER alignment

second compressor alignment

 

 

yellow channel pump alignment

01/06

Tuesday

Regen in full power, second order autocorrelator alignment, pulse width measurements

 

  yellow channel pump alignment

01/07

Wednesday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on,

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

 

yellow channel pump alignment

01/08

Thursday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on,

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

 

yellow channel pump alignment

01/09

Friday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on,

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam divergence measurements

 

yellow channel pump alignment

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC PETAWATT

01/12

Monday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on,

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

 

 

yellow channel pump alignment

01/13

Tuesday

Regen in full power, SPIDER alignment, vibration problems

 

  yellow channel pump alignment

01/14

Wednesday

Regen in full power, looking for the source of instability, SPIDER alignment

 

 

 

01/15

Thursday

Regen in diagnostic regime. Strong vibrations.

   

yellow channel pump alignment

01/16

Friday

Regen in diagnostic regime.  the group was looking for the source of vibrations.

 

 

 

yellow channel pump alignment

 

From 19 up to 25 of January our group was looking for the source of laser instability. The reason had been found out on Sunday (January 25), it was a shutter. The current which goes through the shutter's electromagnet  heats up metal parts and  forms streams of warm air. The fluctuations of refraction coefficient of  warm air stream brings the instability.

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC PETAWATT

01/26

Monday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

 

 

 

01/27

Tuesday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

   

01/28

Wednesday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on.

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

   

01/29

Thursday

Regen in diagnostic power.

Pumping lamps has been changed in 100TW stage

imiging diagnostic alignment    

01/30

Friday

Regen in diagnostic power

Pumping channel on 100TW stage alignment.

imiging diagnostic alignment

 

   

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC PETAWATT

02/02

Monday

Regen in diagnostic power

parabola alignment

 

 

 

02/03

Tuesday

Regen in diagnostic power

parabola alignment

   

02/04

Wednesday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on.

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

   

02/05

Thursday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

   

02/06

Friday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on.

Firing with 10 TW into solid target, proton beam profile measurements

   

 

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC PETAWATT

02/09

Monday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on, 2-pass amplifier on

Firing with 30 TW into solid target, proton energy measurements

 

 

 

02/10

Tuesday

Regen in diagnostic power, 4-pass amplifier alignment to improve beam profile

target alignment

   

02/11

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

   

02/12

Thursday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on, 2-pass amplifier on

Firing with 30 TW into solid target, proton energy measurements

   

02/13

Friday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on, 2-pass amplifier on

alignment

   

 

The week Monday 02/15 - Friday 02/20 has been devoted to oscillator, regen , 4-pass  and SPIDER alignments. In the field of above threshold ionization experiment experiment the experimental chamber stabilization and vacuum level improvement has been done.

February 2004

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT

02/23

Monday

Oscillator chiller problems

vacuum improvement

 

 

 

02/24

Tuesday

Oscillator and regen alignment. Regen in diagnostic power.

 alignment

   

02/25

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power, regen in full power.

alignment, vacuum problems

   

02/26

Thursday

Regen in full power

single atom ionization by above threshold ionization experiment

   

02/27

Friday

Regen in full power, cleaner on, 4-pass amplifier on.

solid target ionization. proton spectrum measurement

   

 

In March  the highest intensity of 0.8´1022 W/cm2 was achieved by using a large NA paraboloid corrected by a deformable mirror. Focused intensity with high spatial resolution is calculated from the precise wavefront characterization.

 

In April and May the experiments on firing with above threshold ionization experiment into rarified gases has been done. One more channel in petawatt pump  has been created and aligned.

May 2004

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT

05/17

Monday

Regen in diagnostic power

setup modification and alignment

 

 

Blue pump channel alignment

05/18

Tuesday

Regen in diagnostic power

 setup modification and alignment

 

Blue pump channel alignment

05/19

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power

setup modification and alignment

 

Frequency doubling crystal installation in blue channel

05/20

Thursday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment

  Second harmonics power measurement in blue channel

05/21

Friday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment    

05/22

Saturday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment    

 

 

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT

05/22

Sunday

Regen in full power.

setup modification and alignment    

05/23

Monday

Regen in diagnostic power

setup modification and alignment

 

 

Blue pump channel alignment

05/24

Tuesday

Regen in diagnostic power

 setup modification and alignment

 

Blue pump channel alignment

05/25

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power

setup modification and alignment

 

Frequency doubling crystal installation in blue channel

05/26

Thursday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment

  Second harmonics power measurement in blue channel

05/27

Friday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment

   

05/28

Saturday

Regen in full power

setup modification and alignment    

 

June 2004

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT
05/30

Sunday

Regen in full power setup modification and alignment    

05/31

Monday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

Firing with 10 TW into rarified neon

 

 

glass laser maintenance

06/01

Tuesday

Water shout down     glass laser maintenance

06/02

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power

 

setup modification and alignment

 

06/03

Thursday

Regen in diagnostic power

 

setup modification and alignment  

06/04

Friday

Water shout down

 

   

 

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT
06/06

Sunday

Regen in full power setup modification and alignment    

06/07

Monday

Regen in diagnostic power

above threshold ionization experiment

 Alignment of system with F2 paraboloid – optimization of focal spot, positioning of supersonic nozzle and installation of diagnostics (top scatter, fluorescent screen and ICT)

 

06/08

Tuesday

Regen in full power, optimization of compressor grating  to get shortest pulse, 4-pass on setup modification and alignment

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/09

Wednesday

Regen in full power

 

Completion of experimental alignment.

 

06/10

Thursday

Regen in full power, chiller problems

 

Completion of experimental alignment. Vacuum improvement.

 

06/11

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on.

 

The vacuum in LILAC chamber was not deep enough to shoot.

 

 

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC PETAWATT

06/13

Monday

Macho Light chilling system maintenance. Regen in diagnostic power

 

   Vacuum improvement

 

06/14

Tuesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on  

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/15

Wednesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

 

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/16

Thursday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

 

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/17

Friday

Optimization of compressor grating  to get shortest pulse.

 

Completion of experimental alignment

 

 

DATE

HERCULES ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT LILAC (Sudeep Banerjee) PETAWATT

06/21

Monday

Macho Light chilling system maintenance. Regen in diagnostic power

 

   Vacuum improvement

 

06/22

Tuesday

Regen in full power  

Completion of experimental alignment,

 

06/23

Wednesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

Chilling system problems

 

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/24

Thursday

Macho Light chilling system maintenance.

 

 

New YLF crystal has been installed in osscilator of Glass Laser

06/25

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

 

 High power shots (1-10 TW)

Frequency doubling crystal installation for blue channel of Petawatt pump

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

06/28

Monday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

 

Completion of experimental alignment, high power shots (1-10 TW)

 

06/29

Tuesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

Two mirrors in 4-pass schematic has been burned, most probable reason is vibration.

The mirrors are changed and entire system is realigned.

 

 

Energy measurement schematic for blue channel has been created

06/30

Wednesday

Electronics problems with Dazzler, the Dazzler has been taken out of schematic and system realigned

 

 

 

07/01

Thursday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on, 2-pass on

 

High power shots (10-40 TW)

 

07/02

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on, 2-pass on

 

High power shots (10-40) TW)

 

After July 4 it is going to be a construction work around Gerstacker building. We do not plan any experiments until July 20.

Since July 4 up to September 3 a big construction of parking lot area had been taking place. Digging machines caused huge vibrations. High energy shots were impossible under such vibrations. Only one (August 10) time we could fire 30 TW for Sudeep Banerjee experiment. The rest of time has been devoted to Hercules laser maintenance, contrast improving, SPIDER system development and petawatt pump development. In frameworks of laser maintenance we changed a laser diode in oscillator pump laser, realigned regen exit, filled cryo pump with new gas, cleaned and placed back both Ti:Sap crystals from four- and two-pass amplifiers, realigned compressor, improved the cooling group of Macho Light laser (four-pass pump). The spectrometer from John Nees lab has been used to run SPIDER, the results of phase measurements are not very impressive, but the SPIDER was working and it was confirmed that laser pulse compression has been screwed up by vibrations. Second channel (blue) and entrance in third one (green) in petawatt pump has been built. For a contrast improvement we are going to send laser beam through the hollow fiber placed in the chamber with high Ar or Kr pressure and to use non-linear rotation of polarization. Now we already have good laser spot ( 100 fs pulses from Ti:Sap) distribution at the hollow fiber exit and work on high pressure chamber.

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

09/06

Monday

LABOR DAY

 

 

 

09/07

Tuesday

Regen in full power, Compressor chamber alignment , second order autocorrelation measurements has been done

 

Imaging system alignment

Energy measurement schematic for blue channel has been created

09/08

Wednesday

Regen in full power

Fiber targets has been produced

alignment

 

09/09

Thursday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on, 2-pass on

 

High power shots (10-40 TW)

 

09/10

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on, 2-pass on

 

High power shots (10 TW), the pressure in LILAC chamber went up and 40 TW shots has been cancelled

 

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

09/13

Monday

CryoTiger pump maintenance

 

 

Head A in Glass laser has been taken out for reflector repair

09/14

Tuesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

 

 

 

09/15

Wednesday

Regen in full power

Breakdown threshold experiment

 

 

09/16

Thursday

Regen in full power, SPIDER measurements

 

 

 

09/17

Friday

Regen in full power, SPIDER measurements, PRO pump problems

 

 

 

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

09/20

Monday

Regen pump maintenance, Glass Laser reflector repair

 

 

 

09/21

Tuesday

Regen pump maintenance, Glass Laser reflector repair

 

 

 

09/22

Wednesday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

 

 

09/23

Thursday

Regen in diagnostic power

alignment

 

 

09/24

Friday

Regen in full power

alignment

 

 

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

09/27

Monday

Regen in full power

Alignment

 

Head A of Glass laser has been assembled and tested

09/28

Tuesday

Regen in full power, pointing stability system adjustment

 

 

The head A has been installed in Glass laser system

09/29

Wednesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10-5 TW shots

 

 

09/30

Thursday

Regen in full power

alignment

 

Calibration of energy measurement schematic in Petawatt Blue channel

10/01

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10-5 TW shots

 

Energy measurements in Blue channel

 

DATE

HERCULES

ABOVE THRESHOLD IONIZATION EXPERIMENT

LILAC (Banerjee)

PETAWATT

10/04

Monday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10 TW shots

 

Energy measurements in Blue channel

10/05

Tuesday

Regen in full power, pointing stability system adjustment

10 TW shots

 

Energy measurements in Blue channel

10/06

Wednesday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10 TW shots

 

 

10/07

Thursday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10 TW shots

 

Green channel alignment

10/08

Friday

Regen in full power, 4-pass on

10 TW shots

 

Green channel alignment

 

October 11, 2004 - December 23, 2004

The HERCULES laser was used by the group of Donald Umstadter and Sudeep Barenjee for gas jet target experiments.

Research Index / Hercules / Schedule of previous weeks / 2004

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