Electrically initiated hcl chemical laser and threshold excitation of XeF and KrF lasers. Final report, 15 July 1975--September 1976

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7213244

Nelson, L Y; Pindroh, A L; Fisher, C H; Byron, S R

The report describes the results of two separate experimental investigations. The first concerns the electrical excitation of the HCl chemical laser and was motivated by the potential improvement of the laser performance by the vibrational enhancement of the reaction Cl + H/sup 2/(v=1) yields HCl(v=v,1) + H. Detailed kinetic modelling of the e-beam and e-beam sustained discharge experiments was used in the interpretation of the experimental data. The rate constant for the vibrationally enhanced reaction was 40 times larger than for the reaction with H/sup 2/(v=0) at T = 300/sup 0/K. This enhanced rate is not fast enough to lead to efficient use of the H/sup 2/(v=1) excited by electron impact. The maximum electrical to laser conversion efficiency obtained was 3%. The second part of the report describes measurements of the threshold pumping power density in e-beam sustained discharge excitation of KrF and XeF lasers. Stable discharges were obtained in Ar-Kr-F/sup 2/ and Ar-Xe-NF/sup 3/ mixtures at 1 atm for times greater than 0.5 microsecond and lasing pulse width as long as 0.5 microsecond. The threshold pump power densities varied inversely with the cavity buildup time. Based on the present results it is evident that efficient laser operation in KrF and XeF could be achieved in a 1-m long sustained discharge with input power densities in the range of 50 to 100 kW/cu cm over a 1 microsecond time scale.

• Research Organization: Mathematical Sciences Northwest, Inc., Bellevue, WA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7213244
• Report Number(s): AD-A-037732; MSNW-77-1049-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CHEMICAL LASERS
ELECTRICAL PUMPING
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
KRYPTON COMPOUNDS
KRYPTON FLUORIDES
LASERS
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
RARE GAS COMPOUNDS
XENON COMPOUNDS
XENON FLUORIDES