A Joule-class, 0.5 kHz repetition rate picosecond diode-pumped laser

Joule level, high repetition rate laser systems enable a number of applications in which simultaneously high pulse energy and average power are required. These applications include the generation of high average power soft x-ray lasers, optical parametric chirp pulse amplifier sources of very short duration pulses, generation of bright, coherent and incoherent pulses of extreme ultraviolet, soft x-ray, and hard x-ray radiation. We report on the development of an entirely diode-pumped chirped pulse amplification laser system that produces pulses with up to 1.5 J pulse energy at repetition rates up to 500 Hz (750 W average power) which can be compressed resulting in the production of Joule-level, 5 ps duration pulses. The main amplifier is based on cryogenically-cooled Yb:YAG active mirrors. The laser produces pulses with good beam quality, and its stable operation is demonstrated. The system is quite compact, occupying an optical table area of only 4.5 m$^{\mathrm{2}}$, making it an ideal source for tabletop experiments.