Deng Ximing (1930.10-1997.12) was a native of Guangzhou, Guangdong. Deng was an optic and laser physicist. He graduated from Physics Department of Peking University in 1952. He was an academician and vice head of Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of China Academy of Sciences (CAS), director of high-power Laser Physics United Laboratory, and member of expert team for Laser Nuclear Fusion (416) in State-level "863" High-Technology Plan. His research mainly focused on optic design and laser technology development. In 1960, he was the first one to put forward the idea of developing laser technology and made China's first ruby laser together with Mr. Wang Zhijiang. In1963, again he made China's first helium-neon laser, and brought up Q-Switch theory for high-power laser independently from overseas. In 1964, he set up Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of China Academy of Sciences. He took the lead in developing high power facility named as "Shenguang", which had made significant contributions in Chinese research on nuclear explosion simulation, inertial confinement fusion, and X-ray laser. "Shenguang" high-power facility won State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, First Class in 1990. His research on generation of Laser in broadband and its physical combination of plasma won him CAS Scientific and Technology Progress Award, Second Class.

INTRODUCTION TO LASER-12 FACILITY

Deng Ximing, Fan Dianyuan and Yu Wenyan

(Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Laser-12 Facility, named "SHEN-GUANG", is the largest Nd. glass laser system in China. The general technical performances of the facility have reached an internationally advanced level in comparing with the similar facilities in the world.

It consists of laser driver subsystem with two beams, high accuracy target chamber, diagnostic subsystem and laboratory environment engineering, etc. The output laser power is up to 10¹²W for each beam with diameter 200mm and wavelength 1.053 mm. Divergence angle 'of the laser beam is 0.1mrad and pulse rejection (rate of signal to noise) up to 10⁷-10⁸.

The facility is used for experimental research on laser inertial confinement fusion (ICF), X-ray laser, Equation of state of material under high pressure, and other laser plasma physics research at the world frontiers field.
Since the facility was built in 1986, considerable progresses have been made, e.g.:

• In indirect-driven ICF experiments, the radiation temperature inside hohlraum cavity reached 130ev, and neutron 'yield about 10⁴.
• In Ne-like Ge X-ray laser research, using a unique "multi-target series coupling" design, we obtained obvious gain saturation and effective GL values more than 17 for lasing lines 23.2, 23.6 nm respectively. The divergence angle of the X-ray beam is up to 1.5 mrad. It is the best result in the world.
• In equation of state of material measurements, using "lens array "method, a unique target uniform illumination technique, we obtained high shock wave pressure range from 0.4 to 0.8 TPa on Al-Cu impedance match targets. Its shock adiabat is measured accurately. The experimental data are closely in accord with that of the extra-polation both from measurement using high explosive-loading facility (the lower pressure) and underground nuclear test (the higher pressure).

The "Laser-12 Facility" will be upgraded to eight beams facility. Total laser energy will increase to 6kJ (for 1ns), and wavelength range expand to green (0.53 mm) and ultraviolet (0.35 mm).