An Investigation of Energy Coupling in Various Arc Susceptible and Resistant Conductors.
Abstract
Thermal energy and momentum coupling to four target materials was investigated to determine what effect unipolar arcing had on the coupling process. A review of the various mechanisms of energy coupling to targets irradiated by laser energy, including unipolar arching, is presented along with some previous experimental results. The experiments were conducted in a 10 to the minus six torr. Vacuum using a neodymium-glass laser in the Q-switched mode. Unipolar arcing was seen to occur on tantalum and SS 304 targets, but not on the TiC TiN coated targets. Thermal coupling was higher in the arc prone targets, while the listing of materials in increasing order of momentum coupling varied through the intensity range under consideration. Unipolar arcing is proposed as a possible mechanisms for the increased thermal coupling. The inability to determine accurately the amount of target material removed by the unipolar arcing process prevented any definitive statement of its effect on momentum coupling. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA119332
Entities
People
- Robert Morton Metheny
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School