Towards Robust Laser Diode Pump Sources for Inertial Fusion Energy - Multiphysics Modeling of Catastrophic Optical Damage

Laser diode pump sources are a key technology for laser-driven inertial fusion energy (IFE). On the development path to pump modules for actual power plants significant progress regarding multiple performance parameters as well as the overall cost of the modules is required. In this paper, we focus on the reliability of laser diodes and present a multiphysics model to predict the threshold of catastrophic optical damage (COD).