Vacuum laser-initiated plasma shutters for retropulse isolation in Antares

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6153455· OSTI ID:6153455

Sheheen, T W; Czuchlewski, S J; Hyde, J; Ainsworth, R L

We have demonstrated that sintered LiF spatial filters may be used in a 10/sup -6/-torr vacuum environment as laser-initiated plasma shutters for retropulse isolation in the Antares high-energy laser fusion system. In our experiments, a 1.1-ns pulsed CO/sub 2/ laser, at a 10-..mu..m wavelength and an energy of up to 3.0 J, was used for plasma initiation; a chopped probe laser tuned to a 9l6-..mu..m wavelength was used in determining the blocking time of the plasma. We measured the 10.6- and 9.6-..mu..m beam transmissions as a function of fluence on the aperture edge. For an 800-..mu..m-diam aperture and a 1.2-mm-diam Gaussian beam determined at the 1/e/sup 2/ intensity points, we observed blocking times in excess of 1.0 ..mu..s.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6153455
• Report Number(s): LA-9540-MS; ON: DE83009785
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANTARES FACILITY
OPTICAL FILTERS
PERFORMANCE
APERTURES
LASER RADIATION
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
REFLECTION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FILTERS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM HALIDES
OPENINGS
RADIATIONS
700208* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology