At the first step of laser amplification, the laser beam can be transported at normal environment, but compression of beam has to be done under vacuum conditions to avoid scattering. For this reason, it is necessary to introduce a system to allow the laser beam entrance to the vacuum chamber. The system used is a viewport of 126 mm diameter of free space that contains a BK7 glass with a suitable coating that does not disturb the beam. The glass is independent of the viewport structure and a mandatory requirement is to be replaceable.
The design of the viewport provides important improvements compared with the classic equipment in the laser field. The design is done in such a way that it does not introduce any local deformation or punctual stress which may deviate the optical properties including a friendly self-centering easy and repeatable way to assembly different glasses on the viewport reducing time and costs.
This technology is the result of the innovation activities within the ALBA Synchrotron and the CPLU. It has been protected via a utility model that has been successfully approved paving the way to its future commercialization.
3D model of the viewport. Viewport test assembly.
