Flowing Xe and U.V. Lasers

This final engineering report summarizes the work performed during a one-year research program on xenon and nitrogen lasers using high-velocity transverse gas flow to achieve increased output power. The report describes pulse laser action in neutral xenon at 2.03 micron, 2.65 micron, 3.4 micron and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fahlen, Theodore S, Targ, Russell
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
AIRBORNE
CAPACITORS
COHERENT RADIATION
CONTINUOUS WAVE LASERS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY
GAS LASERS
GAS TRANSPORT LASERS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HELIUM
INFRARED LASERS
INFRARED RADIATION
Lasers and Masers
MIRRORS
NITROGEN
POWER
PULSE RATE
THYRATRONS
ULTRAVIOLET LASERS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
UV LASERS
VOLTAGE
XENON
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Summary:This final engineering report summarizes the work performed during a one-year research program on xenon and nitrogen lasers using high-velocity transverse gas flow to achieve increased output power. The report describes pulse laser action in neutral xenon at 2.03 micron, 2.65 micron, 3.4 micron and 3.65 micron. Over 10 watts of average multi-wavelength power at 0.13% efficiency was obtained at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 1200 Hz. Pulse repetition frequencies to 2000 Hz were achieved at reduced power output. This high PRF was made possible by the use of a closed cycle, 30 m/sec, transverse gas flow to remove the residual ions from the discharge region. The active length of the device was 76 cm. An intracavity diffraction grating allowed single line operation at any one of the above wavelengths. This same gas transport apparatus was used to obtain 1.5 watts of average power at 3371A from nitrogen at an efficiency of 0.014% with aPRF of 1200 Hz. Over 7 mJ of pulse energy was obtained at an efficiency of 0.04% from an optimized non-flowing device using improved pulse circuitry. It is estimated that 10 watts of average power could be obtained from the gas transport device using this improved circuitry. The results obtained with both xenon and nitrogen lasers were used to investigate the TEMoo mode operation of these lasers, to develop design concepts for airborne 10 watt Xe and N2 lasers, and to investigate the feasibility of a 100 watt N2 laser. (Author)