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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Chemical oxygen-iodine laser

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6535575

A chemical oxygen-iodine laser system is described for producing a beam of high energy coherent radiation comprising: a singlet molecular oxygen generating means for producing a gaseous flow of oxygen molecules in an excited state, an iodine monochloride generating means for producing a gaseous flow of iodine monochloride, mixing nozzles means for receiving gaseous reactants and discharging these reactants in a mixing flow, a singlet oxygen manifold means connected by conduit means to the singlet oxygen generating means and to the mixing nozzle means for providing a flow of gaseous singlet oxygen to the mixing nozzle means, an iodine monochloride manifold means connected to the iodine monochloride generating means and to the mixing nozzle means for providing a flow of gaseous iodine monochloride to the mixing nozzle means, laser cavity means formed by a sealed enclosure means connected to the mixing nozzle means for receiving flow of gaseous singlet oxygen and iodine monochloride from the mixing nozzle means. The iodine monochloride reacts with singlet oxygen to form atomic chlorine and atomic iodine and the atomic iodine formed subsequently reacts with singlet oxygen to raise the atomic iodine to a lasing state and permit the extraction of a laser beam from the laser cavity means, and exhaust manifold means connected to the laser cavity for extracting the reactant from the laser cavity.

Assignee:
US Air Force, Washington, DC
Patent Number(s):
US 4653062
OSTI ID:
6535575
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English