Exawatt-Zettawatt Pulse Generation and Applications

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel laser pulse amplification method, C3, combining existing techniques to generate exawatt and zettawatt pulses, enabling new physics experiments with high efficiency and potential large-scale applications.

Contribution

Introduction of C3, a new cascaded compression technique that combines CPA, OPCPA, and plasma compression to produce ultra-high power laser pulses.

Findings

Capable of compressing kilojoule to megajoule pulses into femtosecond durations.

Potential to reach exawatt and zettawatt peak powers.

Enables high-intensity physics experiments approaching the Schwinger limit.

Abstract

A new amplification method, weaving the three basic compression techniques, Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA), Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) and Plasma Compression by Backward Raman Amplification (BRA) in plasma, is proposed. It is called C3 for Cascaded Conversion Compression. It has the capability to compress with good efficiency kilojoule to megajoule, nanosecond laser pulses into femtosecond pulses, to produce exawatt and beyond peak power. In the future, C3 could be used at large-scale facilities such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF) or the Laser Megajoule (LMJ) and open the way to zettawatt level pulses. The beam will be focused to a wavelength spot size with a f#1. The very small beam size, i.e. few centimeters, along with the low laser repetition rate laser system will make possible the use of inexpensive, precision, disposable optics. The resulting intensity will approach the Schwinger value, thus opening up new possibilities in fundamental physics.