The Development of a High Average Power Glass Laser Source.
Abstract
The subject contract has as its objective the development of a high average power glass laser by systematically improving the factors which influence the ability of a laser glass to handle large power levels. Based upon the availability of the athermal laser glass composition Q-100, the rationale used was toward the improvement of the efficiency of a glass laser by developing methods to increase the pumping efficiency and toward the improvement of the power handling capability of the glass laser rod itself. These incremental developments were broken down as follows: (1) Characterization of Q-100 Laser Glass: The measurement of its thermo-physical and thermo-optical properties to better define its engineering design parameters. (2) Improve Pumping Efficiency or Q-100: Primarily by cladding Q-100 with a matching cladding glass which would act as a lense and improve the transfer of pumping energy from the flashlamp. (3) Reduce thermal loading of Q-100 by Selective filtering of the flashlamp radiation and/or use energy transfer schemes to increase that portion of the flashlamp radiation corresponding to the neodymium pump bands. (4) Increase the rupture strength of Q-100 to directly increase its power-handling capability. (5) Investigate alternate pump sources to improve efficiency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA147471
Entities
People
- J. D. Myers