CW HF selected-line integral master oscillator power amplifier (IMOPA)

Book · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:55450

Chodzko, R A; Bernard, J M; Coffer, J G; Hofland, R ^[1]

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1. Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (United States)

Efficient lasing on multiple-selected lines has been recently demonstrated experimentally on a CW HF chemical laser. Multiple-selected-line operation is required to both enhance atmospheric transmission, and to ensure high-power extraction efficiency on multiple vibrational HF levels. Seventy-five percent of the multiline power was measured on two selected HF lines using a confocal, unstable cavity with a high-efficiency (97%) intercavity diffraction grating. This measured fraction of the multiline power is consistent with theoretical calculations, which include the effect of rotational nonequilibrium. The two-selected-line HF unstable cavity was not prone to parasitic oscillations. A novel multiple-selected-line integral master oscillator power amplifier (IMOPA) concept was also evaluated. A line-selected inner master oscillator fed an outer amplifier region through a small hole in the concave mirror of a confocal cavity. Line selection on two HF lines was demonstrated with the IMOPA, although the hole diameter had to be made sufficiently large to prevent parasitic oscillations within the amplifier. It was concluded from the experiments and theoretical calculations that, although the IMOPA concept was demonstrated at relatively low power (400 W), parasitics may be a problem at much higher values of the single-pass gain.

• OSTI ID: 55450
• Report Number(s): CONF-940142--; ISBN 0-8194-1410-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
CHEMICAL LASERS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DESIGN
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FREQUENCY SELECTION
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
LASER CAVITIES
LASER MATERIALS
LASER WEAPONS
USES