Abstract: Plasma and gas based optics may be used to direct light to a target that produces emission harmful to solid-state optics. In some cases, a shield having a hole, opening or separation for the light to pass may be employed to attenuate or block such harmful emission from the target thereby providing some protection for the solid-state optics. In some designs, the light incident on the target is not coaxial with light sources such as pump and/or seed sources providing beams incident on the plasma or gas based optics. In various designs, however, the plasma or gas based optic(s) is resistant to the emissions from the target.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, such as a holographic plasma lens, can be made by direction two laser beams so that they overlap in a nonlinear material, to form an interference pattern in the nonlinear material. The interference pattern can modify the index of refraction in the nonlinear material to produce the diffractive optical element. The interference pattern can modify the distribution of plasma for the nonlinear material, which can adjust the index of refraction. A third laser beam can be directed through the diffractive optical element to modify the third laser beam, such as to focus, defocus, or collimate the third laser beam.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, such as a plasma grating, can be made by directing two laser beams so that they overlap in a nonlinear material to form an interference pattern in the nonlinear material. The interference pattern can modify the index of refraction in the nonlinear material to produce the diffractive optical element. This diffractive optical element may be used to separate the peak of a laser pulse from light preceding the peak thereby increase the temporal contrast of a laser pulse such as a compressed laser pulse.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, such as a plasma grating, can be made by directing two laser beams so that they overlap in a nonlinear material to form an interference pattern in the nonlinear material. The interference pattern can modify the index of refraction in the nonlinear material to produce the diffractive optical element. A chirped pulse amplification system can stretch, amplify, and then compress a laser pulse, and the plasma grating can be used to compress the laser pulse since the plasma optic can withstand the high light intensity of the compressed pulse.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, such as a holographic plasma lens, can be made by direction two laser beams so that they overlap in a nonlinear material, to form an interference pattern in the nonlinear material. The interference pattern can modify the index of refraction in the nonlinear material to produce the diffractive optical element. The interference pattern can modify the distribution of plasma for the nonlinear material, which can adjust the index of refraction. A third laser beam can be directed through the diffractive optical element to modify the third laser beam, such as to focus, defocus, or collimate the third laser beam.