Laser efficiency and gain of the 1. 73 [mu]m atomic xenon laser at high He/Ar buffer gas ratios
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
Addition of helium to an Ar/Xe gas mixture has been shown to significantly improve the fission-fragment excited 1.73 [mu]m atomic xenon laser performance. Using narrow band dielectric laser cavity mirrors to suppress the 2.03 [mu]m atomic xenon transition, the 1.73 [mu]m laser power efficiency varied between 1% and 3% for total pressures of 520--1550 Torr, He/Ar ratios of 3/1--16/1, and pump rates of 5--40 W/cm[sup 3]. For a constant energy loading, the FWHM of the laser pulse with respect to the pump pulse increased by a factor of 2.5 when argon was replaced by helium. Small signal gain varied between 0.1%/cm and 1.0%/cm. The implication of helium substitution on the Ar/Xe laser kinetics is discussed.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6038257
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 74:6; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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