Research on precise assembly of large optical components technology
With the rapid development of high-energy solid-state lasers, the demand for efficient and precise assembly of large optical components is growing. Currently the assembly of large optical components is low level of automation and labor-intensive. To achieve high level of automation is a very difficult task. The large optical components are very fragile, heavy and expensive. The high-energy solid-state lasers require the large optical components in high level of cleanness. In this paper, we designed a grasping device and an operating device which are used to complete the precision assembly of large optical components efficiently. The kinematic equations of the operating device are built. Workspace analysis and trajectory planning are completed. Based on the actual assembly process of large optical components, the control system of grasping device and operating device was designed.
Design of precise assembly equipment of large aperture optics
High-energy solid-state laser is an important way to achieve laser fusion research. Laser fusion facility includes thousands of various types of large aperture optics. These large aperture optics should be assembled with high precision and high efficiency. Currently, however, the assembly of large aperture optics is by man’s hand which is in low level of efficiency and labor-intensive. Here, according to the characteristics of the assembly of large aperture optics, we designed three kinds of grasping devices. Using Finite Element Method, we simulated the impact of the grasping device on the PV value and the RMS value of the large aperture optics. The structural strength of the grasping device’s key part was analyzed. An experiment was performed to illustrate the reliability and precision of the grasping device. We anticipate that the grasping device would complete the assembly of large aperture optics precisely and efficiently.
Laser performance operations model (LPOM)
The Laser Performance Operations Model (LPOM) has been developed to provide real-time predictive capabilities for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. LPOM uses diagnostic feedback from previous NIF shots to maintain accurate energetics models for each of the 192 NIF beamlines (utilizing one CPU per laser beamline). This model is used to determine the system set-points (initial power, waveplate attenuations, laser diagnostic settings) required for all requested NIF shots. In addition, LPOM employs optical damage models to minimize the probability that a proposed shot may damage the system. LPOM also provides post-shot diagnostic reporting to support NIF experimenters. LPOM was deployed prior to the first main laser shots in NIF in mid-2002 and has been used to set up the every laser shot in NIF's first quad of four laser beamlines. Real-time adjustments of the LPOM energetics parameters allows the LPOM team to predict total beam energies within 5%, and to provide energy balance among the four beamlines to within 2% for shots varying from 0.5 to 26 kJ (1w) per beamline. The LPOM has been a crucial tool in the commissioning of the first quad of NIF.