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TheMercury laser is a high-average-powerlaser system developed atLawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a prototype for systems to driveinertial confinement fusion. Like theNational Ignition Facility, it is intended to produce narrow pulses of extremely high power, usingdiode-pumpedsolid-state lasers. Unlike the NIF system, the Mercury laser aims to achieve a high repetition rate: its goals are 10 pulses per second, each delivering 100 J with a 10% efficient conversion of electricity to laser light.
Theactive gain medium is Yb:SFAP (Ytterbium-doped strontium fluorapatite, Sr5(PO4)3F), which is cooled by fast-flowinghelium to allow high repetition rates. Infrared light at 900 nm from 8 arrays oflaser diodespumps the laser.
| Distinct subtypes | |
|---|---|
| Yttrium aluminium garnet |
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| Glass | |
| Othergain media |
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| Structures | |
| Specific lasers | |
