Pulsed power conditioning system for the Megajoule Laser

The CEA is responsible for the Megajoule Laser (LMJ) facility. This facility is a large flashlamp pump laser (1.8 MJ optical output). CEA entered into a contract with THALES to carry out the pulsed power conditioning system for the Megajoule Laser. The pulsed power conditioning system has a modular design which makes the facility more flexible and safer. This complete primary storage is a 450 MJ energy capacitor bank composed of 270 modules of 1.6 MJ energy. Each module is a standalone capacitor bank equipped with twelve 100 kJ capacitors and its embedded control/monitor and diagnostic system which is connected by an optical Ethernet link to the command control supervisor of the facility. In the first step of the LMJ program, called "Line Integration Laser" (LIL), one laser chain will be built. The capacitor bank used to drive the LIL is comprised of 10 modules. This paper describes the design of the modules and the results of testing. The overall electrical performance meets the requirements. We will also show the first results of our solid-state switching development for the LMJ.