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Title: Rare earth gas laser

Abstract

A high energy gas laser with light output in the infrared or visible region of the spectrum is described. Laser action is obtained by generating vapors of rare earth halides, particularly neodymium iodide or, to a lesser extent, neodymium bromide, and disposing the rare earth vapor medium in a resonant cavity at elevated temperatures; e.g., approximately 1200/sup 0/ to 1400/sup 0/K. A particularly preferred gaseous medium is one involving a complex of aluminum chloride and neodymium chloride, which exhibits tremendously enhanced vapor pressure compared to the rare earth halides per se, and provides comparable increases in stored energy densities.

Inventors:
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7251445
Assignee:
Energy Research and Development Administration TIC; ERA-02-010808; EDB-77-007909
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; GAS LASERS; DESIGN; HALIDES; INFRARED RADIATION; LASER MATERIALS; RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS; VAPOR PRESSURE; VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE; VISIBLE RADIATION; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; LASERS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; RADIATIONS; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES; 420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Krupke, W.F.. Rare earth gas laser. United States: N. p., 1975. Web.
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Krupke, W.F.. Rare earth gas laser. United States.
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Krupke, W.F.. Fri . "Rare earth gas laser". United States. doi:.
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@article{osti_7251445,
title = {Rare earth gas laser},
author = {Krupke, W.F.},
abstractNote = {A high energy gas laser with light output in the infrared or visible region of the spectrum is described. Laser action is obtained by generating vapors of rare earth halides, particularly neodymium iodide or, to a lesser extent, neodymium bromide, and disposing the rare earth vapor medium in a resonant cavity at elevated temperatures; e.g., approximately 1200/sup 0/ to 1400/sup 0/K. A particularly preferred gaseous medium is one involving a complex of aluminum chloride and neodymium chloride, which exhibits tremendously enhanced vapor pressure compared to the rare earth halides per se, and provides comparable increases in stored energy densities.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1975},
month = {Fri Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1975}
}
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  • ;
    A high gain stoichiometric neodymium laser medium is described which is of the general formula K/sub 5/NdxM(1-X)Li/sub 2/F/sub 10/ where X takes on a non-zero positive value less than or equal to one, and M is a metal selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, and gadolinium. Minilasers employing a laser medium of the general formula K/sub 5/NdxM(1-X)Li/sub 2/F/sub 10/ are provided in which the optical pumping is provided by at least one light emitting diode or laser diode.

  • ; ;
    A rare earth semiconductor laser is disclosed comprising a semiconductor material of the type Ln/sup 2/TX/sup 5/ where Ln is a rare earth element, T is zirconium or hafnium, and X is sulfur or selenium. The semiconductor contains neodymium as a dopant rare earth ion and can be made to lase by applying an electric voltage.

  • A solid state laser is described comprising an active layer of semiconductor material arranged in a Fabry-Perot cavity. The semiconductor material has a bandgap between its valence band and its conduction band, and means comprising electrodes of the laser for electrically pumping the semiconductor active layer, characterized in that the semiconductor active layer includes a rare earth dopant having a dominant emission wavelength, and the semiconductor material is chosen such that the bandgap corresponds to a wavelength which is longer than the emission wavelength of the rare earth dopant.

  • ; ; ; ...
    A method for purifying impure hydrogen gas comprising (A) introducing a powder composed of an alloy with the composition expressed by the formula E(M/sub 1-x//sup 1/M/sub x/sup 2//)Z where R is a rare earth metal, m1 is a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt, M/sup 2/ is a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper and chromium, x is 0 or a positive number not exceeding 0.5 and Z is a positive number from 2 to 9, both inclusive, said powder having a particle size distribution ranging from 20 to 325 mesh by Tylermore » standard; (B) heating the alloy powder at a temperature from 100/sup 0/ to 250/sup 0/C in a vacuum or at a temperature from 90/sup 0/ to 250/sup 0/C in an atmosphere of hydrogen gas; (C) introducing hydrogen gas into the vessel containing the alloy powder to a pressure from 10 to 50 kg/cm/sup 2/g; (D) evacuating or heating the vessel; (E) introducing a quantity of impure hydrogen into the vessel to a hydrogen partial pressure of from 1 to 30 kg/cm/sup 2/g; (F) purging the vessel of the impure hydrogen gas be means of a high purity hydrogen gas; and (G) evacuating or heating the vessel so that hydrogen absorbed in the alloy is released and recovered as purified hydrogen gas.« less

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