Adaptive Optics

AO equipment Adaptive optics play a vital role in correcting beam distortion in high-power laser systems such as Vulcan. They can improve focal spot quality to near the diffraction limit, and allow increased shot rates by compensating for thermal effects in Nd:glass amplifiers.

Rutherford Optics' gold-coated adaptive mirrors use a single continuous slice of piezoceramic to ensure a smooth surface profile even in the largest sizes.

Our PC-based software can control up to 64 independent active areas on the mirror via a single 64 volt driver module. 150 mm diameter mirrors that will accept a 110 mm laser beam can be made routinely, and a 250 mm mirror is under development.

Large Aperture

150 mm diameter mirrors fabricated routinely
250 mm at prototype stage

Electronics and software

64 volt driver module with user-friendly control program

Download printable poster of this product (73 KB pdf)

Central Laser Facility,

Science and Technology Facilities Council,

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,

Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,

DIDCOT.

OX11 0QX. UK

This page was created and maintained by Webmaster