Lasers and optics for a gamma-gamma collider

The production of high energy photon colliders through Compton back scattering of laser photons was proposed in the early 1980s. Recent developments in high average power short pulse lasers have made such a collider feasible. The Lawrence Livermore Lab has embarked on a multi disciplinary effort to demonstrate a working design of a photon collider. Such a design requires the participation of experts in lasers, optics, accelerators and physics simulation. A laser design, based on the MERCURY architecture, that can provide the necessary laser power is reported along with the design of focusing optics able to be integrated into the confined space of a detector. Having demonstrated the technical feasibility of a photon collider, the expected physics reach of the benchmark /spl gamma//spl gamma/ /spl rarr/ H/sup 0/ mode in our preliminary collider design is reported.