The Laser Systems Group at LLNL has developed a high energy, high average power solid state laser system capable of performing production rate laser shot peening.
LLNL’s system consists of one or more flashlamp-pumped Nd:glass zig-zag amplifiers, a very low threshold stimulated-Brillouin-scattering (SBS) phase conjugator system, and a free-running single frequency Nd:YLF master oscillator.
The LLNL system is the only laser in existence with the energy, peak and average power required for production applications of this process. Completely passive polarization switching provides eight amplifier gain passes. Multiple frequency output can be generated by using SBS cells having different pressures of a gaseous SBS medium or different SBS materials.
LLNL’s long pulse, low divergence, narrow-bandwidth, multi-frequency output laser system with its high average power and high beam quality has an unique application in pumping another laser.