Coupled multiline c-w (continuous-wave) HF (hydrogen fluoride) lasers: Experimental performance. Technical report

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5477523

Bernard, J M; Chodzko, R A; Mirels, H

The experimental performance of two coupled arc-driven continuous-wave HF chemical lasers employing unstable resonators has been measured. Mode-matched adjoint coupling of 20% was accomplished with a beam splitter. Multiline interference fringes were obtained when the two laser output beams were overlapped in the near field. The mutual coherence of the two beams was inferred from measurement of the visibility of these fringes. Single-line fringe visibility was measured as 98% +/- 2% for each of the two strongest lines. These data suggest that the two outputs are nearly completely phase-locked. This locking was found to be insensitive to perturbations in the lengths of the laser resonators. Mode-beating measurements also suggest complete phase locking, as the coupled system behaves like a single laser cavity. The coherent combination of the two laser output beams was attempted by minimizing the optical path difference between these beams, at an external measuring station. This was achieved by changing the external path length of one beam until maximum multiline visibility (97%) was obtained. Demonstration of the corresponding far-field peak intensity enhancement and reduction in spot size for the combined outputs was also accomplished.

• Research Organization: Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (USA). Aerophysics Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5477523
• Report Number(s): AD-A-210844/7/XAB; TR-0086A(2060)-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
CHEMICAL LASERS
PERFORMANCE
CAVITY RESONATORS
EMISSION SPECTRA
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
LASER CAVITIES
LENGTH
MODE LOCKING
OPTICS
OPTIMIZATION
PROGRESS REPORT
RESONATORS
SENSITIVITY
SIZE
STABILIZATION
VISIBILITY
DIMENSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LASERS
SPECTRA
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)