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XeF laser performance for F/sub 2/ and NF/sub 3/ fuels

Journal Article · · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5953057

XeF laser performance has been investigated for F/sub 2/ versus NF/sub 3/ as the halogen donor (fuel). The experiments were all performed in 3 AMAGAT Ne/Xe/fuel mixtures at ambient temperature and a pump rate of 132 KW/cm/sup 3/ on a 1 m e-beam pumped laser. The F/sub 2/-based laser mixture has been shown to be recyclable, with no loss in laser output, while laser performance steadily degrades for NF/sub 2/-fueled mixtures under repetitively pulsed conditions. Despite the fact that F/sub 3/ absorbs at the XeF wavelength, it has been demonstrated that under appropriately chosen conditions the XeF intrinsic efficiency is essentially the same (2.2 percent) for both F/sub 2/ and NF/sub 3/ fuels for deposited energy loadings up to at least 150 j/l. Absorption, gain, fuel burn-up, and fluorescence were also measured in order to better characterize the laser medium and to determine the major factors contributing to the efficiency.

Research Organization:
U.S. Army Missile Command
OSTI ID:
5953057
Journal Information:
IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. QE-22:2; ISSN IEJQA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English