Flexible driver laser for inertial fusion energy

A method of controlling a laser fusion system comprising a plurality of at least four pulsed lasers that emit laser pulses toward a target, the method comprising:

• controlling at least four of the plurality of at least four pulsed lasers to have central optical frequencies that respectively differ by more than about 1 THz;
• controlling the central optical frequency of each of the plurality of pulsed lasers to be correlated with a direction of propagation toward the target of the corresponding laser pulses to contribute to statistical averaging of the Fourier components I(κ,t) of the intensity of a local electric field of a laser drive at the target;
• controlling the laser pulses from each of the plurality of pulsed lasers to irradiate the target from a different direction;
• and
• controlling the plurality of pulsed lasers to irradiate the target with a laser pulse within a same time window of less than about 100 ns.

A method of driving an inertial confinement fusion reaction at a target using a laser fusion system, the method comprising:

• emitting a plurality of at least four laser pulses from a plurality of at least four pulsed lasers;
• controlling central optical frequencies of at least four of the plurality of pulsed lasers to be different from each other by more than about 1 THz;
• and
• directing each of the plurality of laser pulses from a different pulsed laser along a different propagation direction such that all of the plurality of laser pulses irradiate different portions of the target within a same time window of less than about 100 ns;
• and
• controlling the central optical frequency of each of the plurality of pulsed lasers to be correlated with the respective propagation direction of the corresponding laser pulses toward the target to contribute to statistical averaging of the Fourier components I(κ,t) of the intensity of a local electric field of a laser drive at the target.