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Title: Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry

Abstract

A Stark-tuned laser operating in the 119 micron line of CH.sub.3 OH has an output power of several tens of milliwatts at 30 Watts of pump power while exhibiting a doublet splitting of about ten MHz with the application of a Stark field on the order of 500 volts/cm. This output power allows for use of the laser in a multi-channel interferometer, while its high operating frequency permits the interferometer to measure rapid electron density changes in a pellet injected or otherwise fueled plasma such as encountered in magnetic fusion devices. The laser includes a long far-infrared (FIR) pyrex resonator tube disposed within a cylindrical water jacket and incorporating charged electrodes for applying the Stark field to a gas confined therein. With the electrodes located within the resonator tube, the resonator tube walls are cooled by a flowing coolant without electrical breakdown in the coolant liquid during application of the Stark field. Wall cooling allows for substantially increased FIR output powers. Provision is made for introducing a buffer gas into the resonator tube for increasing laser output power and its operating bandwidth.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. E. Windsor, NJ
  2. Columbus, NJ
  3. Iselin, NJ
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867920
Patent Number(s):
5034952
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01S - DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-76CH03073
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
laser; frequency; modulated; interferometry; stark-tuned; operating; 119; micron; line; oh; output; power; tens; milliwatts; 30; watts; pump; exhibiting; doublet; splitting; mhz; application; stark; field; 500; volts; cm; allows; multi-channel; interferometer; permits; measure; rapid; electron; density; changes; pellet; injected; otherwise; fueled; plasma; encountered; magnetic; fusion; devices; far-infrared; pyrex; resonator; tube; disposed; cylindrical; water; jacket; incorporating; charged; electrodes; applying; gas; confined; therein; located; walls; cooled; flowing; coolant; electrical; breakdown; liquid; wall; cooling; substantially; increased; powers; provision; introducing; buffer; increasing; bandwidth; buffer gas; frequency modulated; operating frequency; electrodes located; fusion devices; flowing coolant; substantially increased; tube wall; laser output; water jacket; output power; coolant liquid; electron density; substantially increase; tuned laser; output powers; charged electrodes; electrical breakdown; laser operating; pump power; density changes; charged electrode; magnetic fusion; /372/

Citation Formats

Mansfield, Dennis K, Vocaturo, Michael, and Guttadora, Lawrence J. Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Mansfield, Dennis K, Vocaturo, Michael, & Guttadora, Lawrence J. Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry. United States.
Mansfield, Dennis K, Vocaturo, Michael, and Guttadora, Lawrence J. Tue . "Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867920.
@article{osti_867920,
title = {Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry},
author = {Mansfield, Dennis K and Vocaturo, Michael and Guttadora, Lawrence J},
abstractNote = {A Stark-tuned laser operating in the 119 micron line of CH.sub.3 OH has an output power of several tens of milliwatts at 30 Watts of pump power while exhibiting a doublet splitting of about ten MHz with the application of a Stark field on the order of 500 volts/cm. This output power allows for use of the laser in a multi-channel interferometer, while its high operating frequency permits the interferometer to measure rapid electron density changes in a pellet injected or otherwise fueled plasma such as encountered in magnetic fusion devices. The laser includes a long far-infrared (FIR) pyrex resonator tube disposed within a cylindrical water jacket and incorporating charged electrodes for applying the Stark field to a gas confined therein. With the electrodes located within the resonator tube, the resonator tube walls are cooled by a flowing coolant without electrical breakdown in the coolant liquid during application of the Stark field. Wall cooling allows for substantially increased FIR output powers. Provision is made for introducing a buffer gas into the resonator tube for increasing laser output power and its operating bandwidth.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1991},
month = {1}
}