Gallery: An Enormous, Ultra-Powerful Laser Captured in Haunting Photos
2010 by Robert Shults0125400028
Research associate Dr. Gilliss Dyer and laser technician Ted Borger discuss the experimental configuration of Target Chamber 2 at the Texas Petawatt lab. During experimental campaigns the target chamber bristles with sensors and imaging devices, all synchronized to the laser's ephemeral pulse. The scientists prefer aluminum over steel for these structures in order to avoid cumulative irradiation of vital laser components.
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Dr. Gilliss Dyer surveys the target bay of the Texas Petawatt Laser, in preparation for an experiment. Researchers from universities around the world utilize the unique timescale of the Petawatt for experiments exploring rare states of matter, such as those found within stars or in the aftermath of supernovae. A staff of thirteen scientists, technicians, and engineers reconfigure the laser and its target chambers to meet the needs of visiting researchers.
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A view inside one of the Petawatt's main amplifiers. Massive discs of neodymium phosphate glass retain energy from intense bursts of white light produced by flash bulbs inside the amplifier casing. During full-power shots, the laser pulse passes through these discs four times, gathering the energy stored within the glass. The Texas Petawatt's main amplifiers are repurposed components from the world's first petawatt class laser, the decommissioned Nova facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
2010 by Robert Shults0426450014
Foil and foam insulate inlets for liquid nitrogen in the Texas Petawatt target area. The Petawatt can fire at both gaseous and solid targets. Here, the liquid nitrogen cools a supply of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen, increasing the size of individual molecular clusters before the gas is injected into the target chamber.
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2011 by Robert Shults0929990016
Motorized crosshairs within the compressor chamber aid in achieving proper alignment of the laser pulse. The Texas Petawatt exerts tremendous force on its own optics, necessitating constant adjustment throughout an experimental campaign. The apparently transparent mirror at left reflects 99.5% of the laser light which strikes it, allowing a relatively dim beam into the diagnostic area.
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Dr. Gilliss Dyer inspects the cleanliness of a Petawatt Laser optic. The laser pulse travels nearly 1000 feet throughout the system, taking about 1 microsecond to reach its target. Along this path, the laser interacts with some 250 optical components. The cleanliness of these elements is critically important, as even the smallest contaminant can dramatically affect the beam's uniformity.
2011 by Robert Shults1230310015
Dr. Woosuk Bang, a Ph.D. candidate at the time of this photograph, prepares his doctoral thesis experiment on the Texas Petawatt laser. Earlier experiments with terawatt class lasers proved that clusters of gaseous molecules could be converted into ion energy. Dr. Bang's experiment, among the first to be conducted with the Texas Petawatt, created an ion plasma of sufficient temperature and density to catalyze neutron fusion reactions.
2010 by Robert Shults1385210015-Edit
A project scientist works at a computer station adjacent to the Petawatt's chilled water return system. After full-power pulses, referred to as "system shots" by the Petawatt scientists, the laser requires an hour before it returns to a safe operating temperature. This requirement restricts experimenters to only seven system shots each day.
