Pulsed DF and DF-CO/sub 2/ laser performance

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.338064· OSTI ID:6868324

Dreiling, T D

A comprehensive set of pulsed DF and DF-CO/sub 2/ laser performance measurements is presented as a function of gas mixture composition (F/sub 2/, O/sub 2/, D/sub 2/, diluent, and CO/sub 2/), laser threshold gain, and reaction initiation strength. All the data were collected on a 47-l device using flash photodissociation of F/sub 2/ to initiate the D/sub 2//F/sub 2/ chain reaction. For helium buffered mixtures, maximum DF laser energy was found to occur at the highest pressures investigated (760 Torr), where the least amount of O/sub 2/ is required for stabilization of the D/sub 2/-F/sub 2/ mixture prior to initiation. The addition of N/sub 2/ or NF/sub 3/ is deleterious to DF laser performance. However, at low partial pressures (--100 Torr) the performance of N/sub 2/ or NF/sub 3/ diluted mixtures is comparable to that of He mixtures, suggesting that N/sub 2/ or NF/sub 3/ may be acceptable alternatives to He diluent in some laser system designs. The maximum DF-CO/sub 2/ transfer laser energy was found to be 40% higher than the corresponding DF laser energy for comparable gas mixtures without any CO/sub 2/. As with DF, the DF-CO/sub 2/ laser energy was found to scale with the pump rate parameter, P/sub =/(F/F/sub 2/)/sup 1/2/, provided the partial pressure of CO/sub 2/ was adjusted to maintain a constant ratio of P/sub =//(P/sub =/(F/F/sub 2/)/sup 1/2/)/sup 2/. The presence of NF/sub 3/ caused a strong decline in DF-CO/sub 2/ laser output, which is believed to be due to the ..nu../sub 1/, symmetric stretch absorption band of NF/sub 3/ at 10.3 ..mu..m.

• Research Organization: Boeing Aerospace Company, P. O. Box 3999, Seattle, Washington 98124
• OSTI ID: 6868324
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 61:5; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMPLIFICATION
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CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
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CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
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DEUTERIUM
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OXIDES
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