The LIL facility quadruplet commissioning

The laser integration line (LIL) facility is currently a 4-beam prototype for the laser Megajoule (LMJ). Following LIL single beamline commissioning in 2003, where performance in terms of power and energy required for LMJ was demonstrated, we spent year 2004 to qualify the quadruplet (or quad) performance at 1ω/3ω. Over that year, the first quad high power and high energy laser experiments took place on LIL facility. A careful set of test campaigns were conducted to safely ramp up laser performance. The main goal was to measure quad-specific features such as beam synchronization and focal spot (size, smoothing contrast ratio or irradiation nonuniformity σ(rms) versus the LMJ requirements. LIL Quad beam waist was recorded for various pulse durations, smoothing techniques and for a wide range of laser intensities up to LMJ-nominal ones. Now, LIL quad has been commissioned to the center of the target chamber and the first plasma experiments are made. (authors)