HIGH-BRIGHTNESS SUBPICOSECOND TERAWATT KRF-ASTERISK SYSTEM DRIVEN WITH A FREQUENCY-CONVERTED SELF-MODE-LOCKED PULSE-COMPRESSED TIAL2O3 LASER

The phase control achievable in a subpicosecond self-mode-locked pulse-compressed Ti:Al2O3 system permits the production of a seed beam for a KrF* (248-nm) system operating near the power limit determined by self-phase modulation in the optical window material used. These limits are approximately 14 and approximately 30 GW/cm2 for CaF2 and MgF2 optics, respectively. We show experimental results for CaF2, which at 248 nm demonstrate a pulse length of approximately 270 fs, a pulse energy of approximately 240 mJ, and a resulting brightness of approximately 2.9 x 10(21) W cm-2 sr-1.