HiLASE: a scalable option for Laser Inertial Fusion Energy

The goal of the HiLASE project is to design and optimize parameters for 100 J/ 10 Hz Yb:YAG laser amplifiers that are scalable to the kJ regime. The HiLASE power amplifier design is based on a cryogenic, gas-cooled multi-slab concept. Simulation results of the 10 J pre-amplifier agree very well with experimental measurements. In order to fulfil the very demanding requirements, which include wall-plug efficiency > 12% and repetition rates up to 10 Hz, HiLASE and RAL teams are closely working together and developing the approach described here.