The Effects of Surface Waves on RF Discharge Pumped Lasers.

Abstract

Discharge lasers pumped by radiofrequency are limited in the amount of RF power that can be absorbed. Since the RF discharge avalanches to high electron density, normal waveguide modes are eventually cut off and, further propagation takes place as surface waves which couple poorly to material in the mode volume of a stable laser resonator. Solutions to this problem can be found by: (1) tailoring the microwave energy or possibly using a very attaching gas to control the avalanche; (2) optimizing the surface wave coupling and (3) optimizing the optical coupling to the excited region using an unstable resonator. Additional keywords: RF pumping, laser excitation, and lasers. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 30, 1985
Accession Number
ADA149689

Entities

People

  • C. P. Christensen
  • R. W. Waynant
  • W. M. Bollen

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Couplings
  • Electron Density
  • Electrons
  • Laser Resonators
  • Lasers
  • Materials
  • Radio Frequency Power
  • Resonators
  • Surface Waves
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Microelectronics