2X1 prototype plasma-electrode Pockels cell (PEPC) for the National Ignition Facility

A large aperture optical switch based on plasma electrode Pockels cell (PEPC) technology is an integral part of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser design. This optical switch will trap the input optical pulse in the NIF amplifier cavity for four gain passes and then switch the high-energy output optical pulse out of the cavity. The switch will consist of arrays of plasma electrode Pockels cells working in conjunction with thin-film, Brewster's angle polarizes. The 192 beams in the NIF will be arranged in 4 X 2 bundles. To meet the required beam-to-beam spacing within each bundle, we have proposed a NIF PEPC design based on a 4 X 1 mechanical module (column) which is in turn comprised of two electrically independent 2 X 1 PEPC units. In this paper, we report on the design a single 2 X 1 prototype module and experimental tests of important design issues using our single, 32 cm aperture PEPC prototype. The purpose of the 2 X 1 prototype is to prove the viability of a 2 X 1 PEPC and to act as engineering test bed for the NIF PEPC design.