Prepulse energy suppression for high-energy ultrashort pulses using self-induced plasma shuttering.

We demonstrate the technique of self-induced plasma shuttering as a means of suppressing prepulse energy that accompanies high-energy, ultrashort laser pulses. This technique makes possible the generation of clean, high-intensity subpicosecond laser pulses even in the presence of high levels of amplified spontaneous emission from the laser system. Low prepulse energy is important in applications such as the generation of solid-density subpico-second plasmas.