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Heebner, John E.

Publications and source records attributed to Heebner, John E..

15 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Temporal resolution and fidelity enhancement of arbitrary waveforms

An apparatus, comprising: Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) numbered MZM #1 to MZM #n that exhibit nonlinearity between an input electrical domain signal and an output optical domain signal; a waveform source for applying a first voltage waveform to a first optical arm of said MZM #1; a laser source configured to direct laser light into the two arms of at least said MZM #1 to produce a first output optical domain signal; the apparatus being provided for utilizing said first output optical signal and the nonlinearities of MZMs numbered MZM #2 to said MZM #n to produce a final output voltage waveform that, compared to said input voltage, comprises at least one of: a shorter rise time, a shorter fall time, an increased signal temporal resolution or small signal dynamic range, an increased vertical resolution for small signals or large signals, a reduced noise on small signals or large signals and an increased bandwidth.

Muir, Ryan D.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Three phase spectral interferometry for recording high dynamic range optical waveforms with <1 ps resolution over >2 ns records applied to closed-loop pulse shaping

Herein we demonstrate, to our knowledge, a novel spectral interferometry technique that simultaneously captures three spectral interferograms of a signal waveform with a reference pulse. The measured performance is robust to nonidealities and ambient drifts by implementing a precisely calibrated 3 × 3 polarization maintaining (PM) splitter that provides three phase shift differences nominally spaced 120° apart. The system can achieve long record length by implementing three, high resolution, virtually imaged phase array (VIPA) spectrometers. Here, we experimentally implement this technique and demonstrate the measurement of waveforms with >2ns of record while maintaining <1ps resolution.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-power electrically tunable switch

A high-voltage switch, whose operation leverages the speed of electrons to generate the “on” time of the pulse in combination with the speed of light to generate the “off” time of the pulse, is described. In one example, the high-voltage switch includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a region of non-absorbing material occupying a portion of the space between the first and second electrodes and allowing a laser pulse to propagate therethrough without substantial absorption, and a region of absorbing material occupying another portion of the space and producing a charged particle cloud upon receiving the laser pulse. The high-voltage switch remains “on” upon the charged particle cloud reaching an electrode and until it has been collected by the electrode, and where the high-voltage switch remains “off” subsequent to the collection and until another generated charged particle cloud reaches the electrode.

Voss, Lars↗
DOE OSTI2024

Temporal resolution and fidelity enhancement of arbitrary waveforms

Apparatuses comprising cascaded or series configurations of Mach-Zehnder electrooptic modulators, where the nonlinearities of the cascaded and series configurations of Mach-Zehnder electrooptic modulators increase signal bandwidth and boost signal fidelity in electronic digital to analog converters. The Mach-Zehnder electrooptic modulators are combined with photodiode detectors that are used to convert signals from the optical domain to the electrical domain.

Muir, Ryan D.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Burst-mode chirped pulse amplification method

A method for increasing the MeV hot electron yield and secondary radiation produced by short-pulse laser-target interactions with an appropriately high or low atomic number (Z) target. Secondary radiation, such as MeV x-rays, gamma-rays, protons, ions, neutrons, positrons and electromagnetic radiation in the microwave to sub-mm region, can be used, e.g., for the flash radiography of dense objects.

Bude, Jeffrey D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spatio-temporal focal spot characterization and modeling of the NIF ARC kilojoule picosecond laser

The advanced radiographic capability (ARC) laser system, part of theNational Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is a short-pulse laser capability integrated into the NIF. The ARC is designed to provide adjustable pulse lengths of ~1–38 ps in four independent beamlets, each with energies up to 1 kJ (depending on pulse duration). A detailed model of the ARC lasers has been developed that predicts the time- and space-resolved focal spots on target for each shot. Measurements made to characterize static and dynamic wavefront characteristics of the ARC are important inputs to the code. Modeling has been validated with measurements of the time-integrated focal spot at the target chamber center (TCC) at low power, and the space-integrated pulse duration at high power, using currently available diagnostics. In this work, these simulations indicate that each of the four ARC beamlets achieves a peak intensity on target of up to a few 10 18 W=cm 2 .

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Injection laser system for Advanced Radiographic Capability using chirped pulse amplification on the National Ignition Facility

We report on the design, performance, and qualification of the injection laser system designed to deliver joule-level chirped pulse beamlets arranged in dual rectangular beam formats into two main laser amplifier beamlines of the National Ignition Facility. The system is designed to meet the requirements of the Advanced Radiographic Capability upgrade with features that deliver performance, adjustability, and long-term reliability.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

All optical sampling by slanted light interrogation for cross-correlated encoded recording (slicer)

Single-shot transient optical signals are recorded in a time regime of picoseconds to nanosecond. An auxiliary pump beam is crossed through the signal to sample a diagonal ‘slice’ of space-time, analogous to a rolling shutter. The slice is then imaged onto an ordinary camera, where the recorded spatial trace is a direct representation of the time content of the signal. The pump samples the signal by optically exciting carriers that modify the refractive index in a conventional semiconductor wafer. Through use of birefringent retarders surrounding the wafer, the integrating response of the rapidly excited but persistent carriers is differentiated by probing with two polarization-encoded time-staggered signal replicas that are recombined to interfere destructively.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

UV laser based stand-off acoustic sensor

A system for aerially surveying an area where a plane may have crashed in water and locating pings from the plane's black box using a laser on an aerial platform that produces laser pulses; using a launch telescope to direct the laser pulses to the water producing scattering from the laser pulses and a continuous stream of backscatter; using a receiving telescope to collect the continuous stream of backscatter; using an interferometer operatively connected to the receiving telescope to produce two outputs, wherein one output is the continuous stream of backscatter, and wherein the other output is a delayed replica of the first output; and using a data collection and analysis unit operatively connected to the interferometer to produce a measurement of the sound.

Dawson, Jay W.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Diode-based additive manufacturing of metals using an optically-addressable light valve

We present that Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of metal powder bed layers, whereby 3D metal objects can be printed from a digital file with unprecedented design flexibility, is spurring manufacturing innovations in medical, automotive, aerospace and textile industries. Because SLM is based on raster-scanning a laser beam over each layer, the process is relatively slow compared to most traditional manufacturing methods (hours to days), thus limiting wider spread use. Here we demonstrate the use of a large area, photolithographic method for 3D metal printing, using an optically-addressable light valve (OALV) as the photomask, to print entire layers of metal powder at once. An optical sheet of multiplexed ~5 kW, 20 ms laser diode and ~1 MW, 7 ns Q-switched laser pulses are used to selectively melt each layer. Finally, the patterning of near infrared light is accomplished by imaging 470 nm light onto the transmissive OALV, which consists of polarization-selective nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between a photoconductor and transparent conductor for switching.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Final Report for Statistical Nonlinear Optics of High Energy Density Plasmas: The Physics of Multiple Crossing Laser Beams

The various implementations of the STUD pulse program (spike trains of uneven duration and delay) for LPI (laser-plasma instability) control were studied in depth, and novel regimes were found. How to generate STUD pulses with large time-bandwidth products, how to measure their optical scattering signatures, and how to experimentally demonstrate their usefulness were explored. Theoretical and numerical studies were conducted on Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) and Crossed Beam Energy Transfer (CBET) including statistical models. We established how LPI can be tamed and gain democratized in space and time. Implementing STUD pulses on NIF was also studied. Future high rep rate lasers and fast diagnostics will aid in the adoption of the whole STUD pulse program for LPI control in High Energy Density Plasmas (HEDP).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Raman beam combining for laser brightness enhancement

An optical source capable of enhanced scaling of pulse energy and brightness utilizes an ensemble of single-aperture fiber lasers as pump sources, with each such fiber laser operating at acceptable pulse energy levels. Beam combining involves stimulated Raman scattering using a Stokes' shifted seed beam, the latter of which is optimized in terms of its temporal and spectral properties. Beams from fiber lasers can thus be combined to attain pulses with peak energies in excess of the fiber laser self-focusing limit of 4 MW while retaining the advantages of a fiber laser system of high average power with good beam quality.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Diffractive optical elements for transformation of modes in lasers

Spatial mode conversion modules are described, with the capability of efficiently transforming a given optical beam profile, at one plane in space into another well-defined optical beam profile at a different plane in space, whose detailed spatial features and symmetry properties can, in general, differ significantly. The modules are comprised of passive, high-efficiency, low-loss diffractive optical elements, combined with Fourier transform optics. Design rules are described that employ phase retrieval techniques and associated algorithms to determine the necessary profiles of the diffractive optical components. System augmentations are described that utilize real-time adaptive optical techniques for enhanced performance as well as power scaling.

42 ENGINEERING↗