GASEOUS LASER RESEARCH.

Abstract

The objective of the research effort is to achieve detailed understanding of the excitation mechanisms operative in the xenon and helium-xenon gas lasers. The BatesDamgaard lifetime estimates were extended to include eleven different sets of xenon levels as well as four sets of neon levels. The upper laser levels in xenon (i.e. the 5d levels) are predicted to have extraordinarily long lifetimes. Eighteen known helium cross-sections and the two presently available for xenon, were carefully examined and certain general properties noted. Combining the results of the lifetime and cross-section considerations, a general explanation for the properties of a dischargeexcited laser system was developed. Instabilities in the plasma observed during the course of Langmuir probe studies were identified with running striations. The 'clean-up' of xenon has been studied. Short term stability with respect to the xenon pressure was obtained by deliberately 'saturating' the walls with xenon.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 31, 1964
Accession Number
AD0608635

Entities

People

  • F. Horrigan
  • R. Tataronis
  • S. Koozekanani

Organizations

  • RTX

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Excitation
  • Gas Lasers
  • Instability
  • Langmuir Probes
  • Lasers
  • Probes
  • Striations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers