Self-initiating volume discharge in iodides used for producing atomic iodine in pulsed chemical oxygen - iodine lasers

Journal Article · Mon Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2003 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2003V033N06ABEH002441· OSTI ID:21470326

Belevtsev, A A ^[1]; Kazantsev, S Yu; Saifulin, A V; Firsov, K N ^[2]

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1. Institute for High Energy Densities, Associated Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)
2. A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

A volume self-sustained discharge (VSD) in iodides (C{sub 3}H{sub 7}I, C{sub 4}H{sub 9}I) and in their mixtures with SF{sub 6}, N{sub 2}, and O{sub 2} in the presence of small-scale inhomogeneities on the cathode surface is shown to develop in the form of a self-initiating volume discharge (SIVD), i.e., a volume discharge without any preionisation including discharge gaps with a strong edge enhancement of the electric field. Additions of SF{sub 6} or N{sub 2} to the iodides improves the stability and homogeneity of the SIVD, while adding up to 300 % (relative to the partial iodide pressure) of O{sub 2} to these mixtures has only an insignificant effect on the discharge stability. The possibility of SIVD initiation was modelled experimentally in a 1.5-L discharge volume. For the C{sub 4}H{sub 9}I:O{sub 2}:SF{sub 6}=0.083:0.25:0.67 mixture at a pressure of 72 Torr, the specific energy input into the discharge plasma ranged up to 130 J L{sup -1} in this geometry. A conclusion was drawn that the SIVD is promising for the production of atomic iodine in the pulsed and repetitively pulsed operating regimes of a chemical oxygen - iodine laser. (lasers)

• OSTI ID: 21470326
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Vol. 33, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1070/QE2003v033n06ABEH002441; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CATHODES
CHEMICAL LASERS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
GEOMETRY
IODIDES
IODINE
OXYGEN
PLASMA
STABILITY
SULFUR FLUORIDES
SURFACES
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENS
IODINE COMPOUNDS
LASERS
MATHEMATICS
NONMETALS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS