Energy loading effects in the scaling of atomic xenon lasers

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/3.102643· OSTI ID:5771116

Ohwa, M; Kushner, M J ^[1]

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1. Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (USA). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The intrinsic power efficiency of the atomic xenon (5{ital d} {r arrow} 6{ital p}) infrared (1.73--3.65 {mu}m) laser is sensitive to the rate of pumping due to electron collision mixing of the laser levels. Long duration pumping at moderate power deposition may therefore result in higher energy efficiencies than pumping at higher powers. In this paper the authors examine the consequences of high energy deposition (100's J/1 atm) during long pumping pulses (100's {mu}s) on the intrinsic power and energy efficiency and optimum power deposition of the atomic xenon laser. The dominant effect of high energy loading, gas heating, causes an increase in the electron density and therefore an increase in the electron collision mixing of the laser levels. The optimum power deposition for a given gas density therefore shifts to lower values with increasing gas temperature. For sufficiently long pumping pulses, nonuniform gas heating results in convection and rarification of highly pumped regions. The optimum power deposition therefore shifts to even lower values as the length of the pumping pulse increases. As a result, laser efficiency depends on the spatial distribution of power deposition as well as its magnitude.

• OSTI ID: 5771116
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA), Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 26:9; ISSN 0018-9197; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
640301 -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Beams & their Reactions
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
DEPOSITION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICAL PUMPING
ELECTRON BEAM PUMPING
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FLUIDS
GASES
LASERS
NONMETALS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PUMPING
RARE GASES
SURFACE COATING
TESTING
XENON