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Nuclear pumped laser. II. Final contractor report, August 1975--August 1977

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5265113

The first direct nuclear pumped laser using the He-2-(n,p) H-3 reaction is reported. Lasing took place on the 1.79 micrometers Ar I transition in a mixture of He-3-Ar at approximately 600 Torr total pressure. It was found that the electrically pulsed afterglow He-Ar laser had the same concentration profile as the nuclear pumped laser. As a result, nuclear lasing was also achieved in He-3-Xe (2.027 micrometers) and He-3-Kr (2.52 micrometers). Scaling of laser output with both thermal flux and total pressure as well as minority concentration has been completed. A peak output (He-3-Ar) of 3.7 watts has been achieved at a total pressure of 4 atm. Direct nuclear pumping of He-3-Ne has also been achieved. Nuclear pumping of a He-3-NF/sub 3/ mixture was attempted, lasing in FI at approximately 7000 A, without success, although the potential lasing transitions appeared in spontaneous emission. Both NF/sub 3/ and /sup 238/UF/sub 6/ appear to quench spontaneous emission when they constitute more than 1% of the gas mixture.

Research Organization:
Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, Tenn. (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
OSTI ID:
5265113
Report Number(s):
N-77-26479; NASA-CR-153292; VU-PL-7/77
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English