Power deposition in volumetric /sup 235/UF/sub 6/-He fission-pumped nuclear lasers

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.324697· OSTI ID:5120618

Wilson, J W; DeYoung, R J

Pumping gas lasers by the /sup 235/U(n,ff)FF reaction has the advantage of depositing large energies per reaction (approx.200 MeV), and by using /sup 235/UF/sub 6/, a volumetric energy source is achieved. Factors in /sup 235/UF/sub 6/ pumping of a He gas relating to neutron attenuation and fission product transport within a laser tube are treated in detail. Neutron attenuation is found not to be significant for tube sizes and pressure ranges anticipated for laser applications. Maximum power can be deposited in a laser tube when the tube radius is at least as large as the range of the fission fragments. The maximum power is deposited in the helium gas when the tube radius equals the fission-fragment range and the UF/sub 6/ partial pressure to total pressure ratio is 0.15 corresponding to a UF/sub 6/-He mixing ratio of approximately 1 : 6.

• Research Organization: NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23665
• OSTI ID: 5120618
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 49:3; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ABSORPTION
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY ABSORPTION
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCITATION
FERMIONS
FISSION FRAGMENTS
FLUIDS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GAS LASERS
HADRONS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HELIUM
IONIZATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FRAGMENTS
NUCLEAR PUMPING
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE GASES
THERMAL NEUTRONS
URANIUM 235
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES