R. Stephen Craxton

Senior Scientist
Laboratory for Laser Energetics
Telephone: (716) 275-5467
e-mail: scra@lle.rochester.edu


Research Interests

Since joining the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) in 1976, Dr. Craxton has worked on a variety of areas including the two-dimensional computer modeling of laser-matter interactions, high-power nonlinear optical frequency conversion, x-ray laser propagation, plasma diagnostics using optical probing, the design of the 60-beam OMEGA laser system used for fusion research at LLE, and irradiation uniformity in indirect-drive, "hohlraum" targets. His techniques for efficiently tripling the frequency of high-power lasers, developed in 1980, have been adopted on all major glass laser-fusion facilities. He is currently interested in beam-smoothing techniques for OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility, broadband frequency conversion, the propagation of broad-bandwidth beams through the OMEGA laser system, long-scale-length plasma generation, and uniformity in tetrahedral hohlraums. Dr. Craxton's work has been exclusively theoretical, and largely based on computer simulations. He is interested in working with postdoctoral fellows preferably with strong computational experience and a good optics background, on modeling the generation and propagation of broad-bandwidth beams through the OMEGA laser system and understanding how the optical properties of the laser affect the irradiation uniformity experienced by the fusion target.


Recent and Selected Publications

"Three-Dimensional Modeling of capsule Implosions in OMEGA Tetrahedral Hohlraums", J.D. Schnittman and R.S. Craxton, Phys.Plasmas 7, 2964 (2000).

"Laser-Plasma Interactions in Long-Scale-Length Plasmas Under Direct-Drive National Ignition Facility Conditions", S.P.Regan, D.K. Dradley, A.V. Chirokikh, R.S. Craxton, D.D. Meyerhofer, W. Seka, R. W. Short, A. Simon, R.P.J. Town, B. Yaakobi, J.J. Caroll III, and R.P. Drake, Phys.Plasmas 6, 2072 (1999).

"Demonstration of the dual-tripler scheme for increased-bandwidth third-harmonic generation", A. Babushkin, R.S. Craxton, S. Oskoui, M.J. Guardalben, R.L. Keck, and W. Seka, Opt. Lett. 23, 927 (1998).

"Highly efficient second-harmonic generation of ultraintense Nd:glass laser pulses," C.Y. Chien, G. Korn, J.S. Coe, J. Squier, G. Mourou, and R.S. Craxton, Opt. Lett. 20, 353 (1995).

"Generation of a 45-ps-duration 15.5-nm x-ray laser," L.B. DaSilva, R.A. London, B.J. MacGowan, S. Mrowka, D.L. Matthews, and R.S. Craxton, Opt. Lett. 19, 1532 (1994).

"Direct measurements of the ion acoustic decay instability in a laser-produced, large-scale, hot plasma," K. Mizuno, R. Bahr, B.S. Bauer, R.S. Craxton, J.S. DeGroot, R.P. Drake, W. Seka, and B. Sleaford, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2704 (1994).

"Characterization of laser-produced plasma density profiles using grid image refractometry," R.S. Craxton, F.S. Turner, R. Hoefen, C. Darrow, E.F. Gabl, and Gar. E. Busch, Phys. Fluids B 5, 4419 (1993).

"Nonlinear laser-matter interaction processes in long-scale-length plasmas," W. Seka, R.E. Bahr, R.W. Short, A. Simon, R.S. Craxton, D.S. Montgomery, and A.E. Rubenchik, Phys. Fluids B 4, 2232 (1992).

"Production and characterization of hot, long-scale-length laser plasmas," W. Seka, R.S. Craxton, R.E. Bahr, D.L. Brown, D.K. Bradley, P.A. Jaanimagi, B. Yaakobi, and R. Epstein, Phys. Fluids B 4, 432 (1992).

"Improved laser-beam uniformity using the angular dispersion of frequency-modulated light," S. Skupsky, R.W. Short, T. Kessler, R.S. Craxton, S. Letzring, and J.M. Soures, J. Appl. Phys. 66, 3456 (1989).

"Progress in laser fusion," R.S. Craxton, R.L. McCrory, and J.M. Soures, Sci. Am. 255, 68 (1986).

"Statistical ray tracing in plasmas with random density fluctuations," R. Epstein and R.S. Craxton, Phys. Rev. A 33, 1892 (1986).

"Absorption physics at 351 nm in spherical geometry," M.C. Richardson, R.S. Craxton, J. Delettrez, R.L. Keck, R.L. McCrory, W. Seka, and J.M. Soures, Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 1656 (1985).

"Hydrodynamics of thermal self-focusing in laser plasmas," R.S. Craxton and R.L. McCrory, J. Appl. Phys. 56, 108 (1984).

"High efficiency frequency tripling schemes for high-power Nd:glass lasers," R.S. Craxton, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 1771 (1981).

"Demonstration of high efficiency third harmonic conversion of high power Nd:glass laser radiation," W. Seka, S.D. Jacobs, J.E. Rizzo, R. Boni, and R.S. Craxton, Opt. Commun. 34, 469 (1980).

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