Flash lamp exploitation in high-powered Nd:glass lasers for ICF

The design and performance of xenon flashlamps fabricated by Russian industry and successfully used in powerful Nd-glass laser systems for ICF experiments are described. Results of flashlamp testing in specific conditions of large-aperture multilamp optical amplifiers with slab active elements are presented. The external triggering of flashlamp array is shown to be more preferable than the internal triggering of each flashlamp. It was also recognized that flashlamps with cap-like hermetization units were more reliable and less expensive. The failure probability for these lamps is estimated to be about 10-3 for 1000 test shots at an energy loading factor of 0.2.