Synthetic dark-field imaging for optic damage detection

We present a novel damage detection method for use in high-repetition rate, high pulse energy laser systems. Synthetic dark field imaging involves numerical beam propagation and high-pass spatial filtering of the laser beam profile to simultaneously detect damage and identify the optic responsible within the optical chain. This technique utilises the main beam path and has the capability to monitor damage in situ, across numerous optics with a single image of the beam profile. Synthetic dark field imaging will be trialled in the new 10 Hz repetition rate, 1 PW laser driver currently being commissioned at the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK.