Nuclear-driven flashlamp pumping of the atomic iodine laser. Final report
This report is a study of the atomic iodine laser pumped with nuclear- excited XeBr fluorescence. Preliminary experiments, conducted in the TRIGA reactor investigated the fluorescence of the excimer XeBr under nuclear pumping with {sup 10}B and {sup 3}He, for use as a flashlamp gas to stimulate the laser. These measurements included a determination of the fluorescence efficiency (light emitted in the wavelength region of interest, divided by energy deposited in the gas) of XeBr under nuclear pumping, with varying excimer mixtures. Maximum fluorescence efficiencies were approximately 1%. In order to better understand XeBr under nuclear excitation, a kinetics model of the system was prepared. The model generated the time-dependant concentrations of 20 reaction species for three pulse sizes, a TRIGA pulse, a fast burst reactor pulse, and an e-beam pulse. The modeling results predicted fluorescence efficiencies significantly higher (peak efficiencies of approximately 10%) than recorded in the fluorescence experiments. The cause of this discrepancy was not fully determined. A ray tracing computer model was also prepared to evaluate the efficiency with which nuclear-induced fluorescence generated in one cavity of a laser could be coupled into another cavity containing an iodine lasant. Finally, an experimental laser cell was constructed to verify that nuclear-induced XeBr fluorescence could be used to stimulate a laser. Lasing was achieved at 1.31 micron in the TRIGA using C{sub 3}F{sub 7}I, a common iodine lasant. Peak laser powers were approximately 20 mW. Measured flashlamp pump powers at threshold agreed well with literature values, as did lasant pressure dependency on laser operation.
- Research Organization:
- Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (United States). Fusion Studies Lab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-88ER12821
- OSTI ID:
- 10134446
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/12821-T1; ON: DE92010609
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Mar 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
FLASH TUBES
XENON BROMIDES
FLUORESCENCE
CHEMICAL LASERS
NUCLEAR PUMPING
PROGRESS REPORT
PHOTONUCLEAR REACTIONS
IODINE
STIMULATED EMISSION
CALIFORNIUM IODIDES
IODINE FLUORIDES
LASER MATERIALS
426002
700411
LASERS AND MASERS
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT DEVICES