A 6-GW NEODYMIUM GLASS LASER,

Abstract

A 6-GW neodymium glass laser with a simple phototropic Q-switch is described. The laser consists of three cylindrical rods in series, each 250 mm long and 45 mm in diameter. Each rod is placed in a multielliptic reflector and is pumped by six direct flashlamps. The external cavity consists of one 99.6%-reflective dielectric mirror and a Q-switch placed between the first and second rods. The Q-switch consists of a cell made of two plane-parallel (error less than 1 min of arc) glass plates joined optically through a 1-cm-thick glass ring. The cell is filled with a polymethine-dye solution to a concentration at which the solution is 99% reflective at 1.06 micrometer. At maximum pumping energies, single 100-120-j, 20-nanosec pulses were obtained. By increasing the pumping energy or by diluting the absorber solution, two or more pulses could be generated. In the case of two-pulse operation (50-80 microsec. repetition frequency), the total output was 200 j. The use of a phototropic liquid switch and large-diameter neodymium glass rods resulted in energy and power densities of 6 j/sq cm and 0.3-0.4 Gw/sq cm, respectively.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 05, 1968
Accession Number
AD0678463

Entities

People

  • M. P. Vanyukov
  • V. A. Serbryakov
  • V. A. Venchikov
  • V. I. Isaenko

Organizations

  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkenes
  • Diameters
  • Frequency
  • Glass Lasers
  • Lasers
  • Micrometers
  • Nd:Glass Lasers
  • Neodymium
  • Reflectors

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers