Investigation of RF excited CW CO/sub 2/ waveguide lasers

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5780970

Hochuli, U

The RF excited 2 to 3W CW CO2 waveguide lasers with lifetimes of the order of 10(4) to 2.10(4) hours were produced. This was achieved with CO and N2 bearing gas mixtures and with internal as well as external discharge electrodes. It is noted that these tests were conducted with unstabilized lasers which drift around in their signatures. The average power output was reduced to about one half of the highest peak power output in the signature. One of the lasers, no. 1.1, still shows 60% of its original output power after it was cycled on and off every 10 minutes for more than 50,000 times. The starting voltage and driving point impedance of the RF excited gas discharge structure for different gas pressures and mixtures were measured. These data will serve as a basis for the matching and starting network optimization. The second laser body was frit and indium sealed. To our a vacuum leak between the bore and electrode holes was noted. The leak seems to be due to a defect or crack in the BeO body.

• Research Organization: Maryland Univ., College Park (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5780970
• Report Number(s): N-85-13221; NASA-CR-174106
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FABRICATION
GAS LASERS
LASERS
LIFETIME
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION