LASER PUMPING SOURCES.
Abstract
The principles of the conversion f explosive energy to shock heated gas energy suitable as a radiation source are reviewed. From this it is concluded that there are two major limiting factors associated with adapting explosive light sources developed previously to laser pumping. The first is the destructive nature of these sources, resulting in loss of costly laser crystals. The second is the use f radiation from gas heated only by the incident shock wave rather than by the reflected shock as well. A considerable gain in energy conversion efficiency and convenience will be realized by developing a nondestructive, explosively driven, radiation source which makes use of reflected shock heated gas. An experimental and theoretical evaluation of such a source is being carried out, using 4.5 grams of high explosive driving a shock through xenon at sub-atmospheric initial pressures in a one inch diameter, three foot long tube. Shock speed measurements show that about 20% of the explosive energy is given to the shock heated gas. Spectral measurements show that the radiation is predominantly continuum and that the reflected shock heated gas is optically thick, in agreement with theoretical predictions. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0432099
Entities
People
- H. Shanfield
- J. Killian
- S. Byron
- W. Lawrence