Retrofit of a high power Nd:glass laser system with liquid crystal polarizers

The glass development laser (GDL), has been operating at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics since 1978. This Nd:phosphate glass system produces high peak power optical radiation at lambda = 1054 nm or lambda = 351 nm for use in studying the interaction physics of intense laser beams with matter. The amplifier staging incoroprates the propagation of linearly and circularly polarized light in rod amplifiers which vary in diameter from 16 nm to 90 mm. Numerous quartz or mica quarter waveplates and Brewster angle dielectric thin film polarizers are required to limit accumulated phase retardation between amplification stages and to accommodate interstage Pockels' cell isolation switches. We have recently replaced most of the waveplate dielectric polarizer combinations in GDL with liquid crystal polarizers. Comprised of 11 (MU)m thick cholesteric fluids sandwiched between optical quality glass plates, liquid crystal polarizers provide excellent polarization properties, low insertion loss, angular insensitivity, and laser damage resistance at lambda = 1054 nm. The design, fabrication, and performance of left handed and right handed circular polarizers will be discussed.