Asterix IV iodine laser: performance and applications

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Abstract
The layout and performance of the single beam Asterix IV high-power iodine laser operating either at the fundamental wavelength at 1315 nm or the second or third harmonic at 658 nm and 438 nm, respectively, is described. Every 20 minutes Asterix IV can provide output pulses with durations ranging from 0.4 ns to several ns with pulse energies of up to 2.1 kJ and pulse powers reaching 3 TW. Preliminary experiments and calculations reveal that by pumping Ti:S disks with the 3(omega) -radiation of Asterix IV much higher powers in the multi-100 TW region can be attained. Since 1988 the laser fired 6500 target shots as a reliable tool. As a selection among numerous experiments three highlights are dealt with: (1) uniform megabar shock waves in solids, (2) XUV opacities in hot dense Al, Fe, and Ho, and (3) lasing on the J equals 0 - 1 line of neon-like ions using the prepulse technique.

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