Laser system for the TTF photoinjector at Fermilab

We have developed a solid-state laser system to meet the requirements of the TESLA Test Facility (TTF) photoinjector, currently under development at Fermilab. The laser produces a 1 MHz train of up to 800 equal-amplitude pulses with up to 1 mJ per pulse (0.8 J per macropulse) at /spl lambda/=1054 nm. The laser pulse train is produced by a phase-stabilized, mode-locked, Nd:YLF oscillator and a fast selection Pockels cell. The pulses are amplified in an Nd:glass amplifier chain consisting of a multipass rod amplifier and a 5-pass zig-zag slab amplifier. The laser system employs chirped pulse amplification (CPA) to produce 10 ps pulses. After fourth harmonic generation of the laser to /spl lambda/=263 nm, 10 nC electron bunches can be extracted from a Cs/sub 2/Te photocathode in the RF gun.