Study of laser megajoule calorimeter's thermal behaviour for energy measurement uncertainty optimisation

For laser megajoule (LMJ) facility, an accurate procedure for laser pulse energy measurement is a crucial requirement. In this study, the influence of measurement procedure on LMJ calorimeter uncertainty is experimentally and numerically investigated. To this end, a 3D thermal model is developed and two experimental techniques are implemented. The metrological characteristics of both techniques are presented. As a first step, the model is validated by comparing numerical and experimental results. Then, the influence of a large number of parameters considered as likely uncertainty sources on calorimeter response is investigated: wavelength, pulse duration, ambient temperature, laser beam diameter…. The post processing technique procedure is also examined. The paper provides some of the parameters required to allow a robust and efficient calibration procedure to be produced.