Carbon Dioxide Electric Discharge Laser Kinetics Handbook.

Abstract

A theoretical model of the CO2 laser system is developed. Each vibrational mode in the system is assumed to reach internal equilibrium rapidly, permitting description of the system by six temperatures (CO2 nu1, nu2, and nu3, N2, CO, and kinetic). The various excitation and transfer processes exchanging energy between these modes are discussed and a summary of available data on the relevant process rates has been collected. The six differential equations corresponding to the six vibrational temperatures are solved numerically and the laser flux and gain calculated as function of time. This model is applied to the prediction of behavior in pulsed lasers and amplifiers. The predictions of gain and laser output are compared with experiments performed on different lasers at AERL, at both atmospheric and 1/10 atmospheric pressure. Gain and laser output measurements have been performed on the laser Humdinger Junior at temperatures near 200K, as well as near 300K. Less conventional gas mixtures have been investigated theoretically and experimentally.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA008650

Entities

People

  • D. H. Douglas-hamilton
  • R. S. Lowder

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Carbon Dioxide Lasers
  • Differential Equations
  • Electric Discharges
  • Equations
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Pulsed Lasers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers