Direct nuclear excitation of a /sup 3/He-CO/sub 2/ gas mixture
Probe measurements using a continuous wave CO/sub 2/ laser have been carried out on a /sup 3/He-CO/sub 2/ gas mixture directly excited by the /sup 3/He(n,p)/sup 3/H reaction. At a gas pressure of 1 atm and thermal neutron flux up to 1 x 10/sup 17/ n/cm/sup 2/ sec, total extinction of the probe beam was observed. Addition of N/sub 2/ to the gas mixture (up to 20%) produced a media such as is used in electric discharge CO/sub 2/ lasers. However, this mixture produced the same results as the /sup 3/He-CO/sub 2/ mixture. Absorption of the laser beam indicates that with direct nuclear excitation, it is the lower laser level which is excited. Therefore direct nuclear pumping of a CO/sub 2/ laser does not appear feasible.
- Research Organization:
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23665
- OSTI ID:
- 6465498
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 39:3; ISSN APPLA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ABSORPTION
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCITATION
FLUIDS
GAS LASERS
GASES
HELIUM 3
HELIUM 3 REACTIONS
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
LASERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MEDIUM PRESSURE
NEUTRON FLUX
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR PUMPING
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROBES
PUMPING
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOISOTOPES
STABLE ISOTOPES
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES