Investigation of Plasma Properties of High Energy Gas Discharge Lasers.
Abstract
The report summarizes research directed toward determining the plasma properties and key processes governing the conversion of electrical energy in gas discharges with emphasis placed on electric discharges typical of CO2 lasers. A model has been formed from which the vibrational level population in CO2 and N2 in a gas discharge laser can be calculated. The model treats CO2 by dividing the CO2 populations into four groups of specific combinations of the vibrational quantum numbers. Since knowledge of the neutral gas temperature in a laser medium is extremely important in accessing laser performance, an attempt has been made to develop a method of measuring the neutral gas temperature. The study of the effect of gas mixture on the validity of the optical temperature measurement has indicated that there are conditions which result in curvature of the data presentation. To achieve greater insight into the details of discharge maintenance, an analysis of a wall dominated CO2 laser discharge column has been undertaken. In conjunction with the positive column analysis, a study was made of the importance of negative ion formation, multistep ionization, multiple ion species, recombination, attachment, electron detachment, and dissociation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1970
- Accession Number
- ADA009001
Entities
People
- M. C. Fowler
- R. H. Bullis
- W. J. Condell
- W. J. Wiegand
- W. L. Nighan