<title>Limitations and applications of the colliding shock lens</title>

Abstract

Gas lenses are indestructible and capable of focusing two orders of magnitude higher laser intensities than solid lenses. Conventional gas lenses such as the Spinning Pipe Gas Lens (SPGL) are however long, bulky and optically weak. The recently patented Colliding Shock Lens (CSL) is a shorter more powerful gas lens. It also offers the possibility of greater apertures than the 3 cm currently achievable with other gas lenses. We present recent experimental work on the CSL and propose two new applications apart from the CSL Q-Switch and other applications described elsewhere. They are the Colliding Shock Laser and the Colliding Shock Light Guide. The latter could find application in laser accelerator research.