Design of a Compact, Lightweight Gas Laser for Military Applications,

Abstract

ASHLIGHT-SIZE (17-IN LONG, 1.75-IN DIA., 30-CUBIC IN, 3.5-LB) BATTERY-OPERATED HELIUM-NEON GAS LASER WITH OPTIMIZED PARAMETERS WAS DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED. The unit includes nickel-cadmium batteries and will operate as long as one hr on a single battery charge. The laser tube discharge parameters are optimized to give maximum overall efficiency (output power/input power), with the smallest laser configuration practicable while still insuring cw oscillation in the presence of changes in cavity length due to thermal effects. The multimode output power of about 1.25 mW compares favorably with the highest reported power of two mW from a laser tube having a plasma length 20 percent longer and compares well with the 2.6 mW theoretically possible. (Modified author abstract)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1973
Accession Number
AD0771180

Entities

People

  • Colin S. Willett
  • Floyd Allen

Organizations

  • Harry Diamond Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Efficiency
  • Gas Lasers
  • Lasers
  • Lightweight
  • Military Applications
  • Multimode
  • Nickel Cadmium Batteries
  • Oscillation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers