Exawatt Center for Extreme Light Studies (XCELS)

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Fig. 2.2. Installations for growing large-aperture nonlinear optical crystals in IAP RAS (left)
and element for frequency conversion of superintense optical radiation
For creation in the XCELS complex of channels with peak power of 15 PW, Nd-glass
laser pump systems with pulse energy exceeding 1 kJ and pulse duration of about 2 ns
are required. RFNC-VNIIEF has a rich experience in creating and operating such systems.
VNIIEF has the laser facility "LUCH" with 4 channels of pulse energy in each channel of
more than 3 kJ and duration of about 3 ns. The "LUCH" facility was used in the joint
Project of VNIIEF and IAP RAS to produce pulses with energies of about 100 J in the
parametric amplifier "FEMTA". This result is a world record in the power of parametric
amplification of femtosecond pulses and a demonstration of one of the technologies critical
for implementation of the XCELS Project (Fig. 2.3).
Fig. 2.3. "LUCH" facility with parametric amplifier "FEMTA"
at VNIIEF (Sarov) and record characteristics of
parametric amplification of femtosecond pulses