Advanced Analytical Technologies for a Terawatt Laser Facility

High energy, high power, ultrashort lasers enable a plethora of applications in the field of material sciences and analytical chemistry. From generation of protons to X-rays on a tabletop, Terawatt (TW) Class lasers can be used for round the clock, chemical imaging and spectro-chemistry in the laboratory environment. These lasers are enabled by the technique of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA). The design, development and characterization of such a laser facility is presented. The development of this laser facility is fully supported by novel, optical and digital diagnostics for characterization of the drive pulse for dispersion, pulse duration and energy. For real-time monitoring of the laser facility and enabling user-friendly operation, a smart data platform using openBIS Electronics Lab Notebook (ELN) is developed to enable regular and uninterrupted saving of raw data which is integrated into the local dashboard for visualization and data analysis.