Proof of the Feasibility of Coherent and Incoherent Schemes for Pumping a Gamma-Ray Laser
Abstract
Recent approaches to the problem of the gamma-ray laser have focused upon upconversion techniques in which metastable nuclei are pumped with long wavelength radiation. At the nuclear level the storage of energy can approach tera-Joules (10 to the 12th power J) per liter for thousands of years. However, any plan to use such a resource for a gamma-ray laser poses problems of a broad interdisciplinary nature requiring the fusion of concepts taken from relatively unrelated fields of physics. Our research group has described several means through which this energy might be coupled to the radiation fields with cross sections for stimulated emission that could reach 10 to the minus 17th power sq cm. Such a stimulated release could lead to output powers as great as 3 x 10 to the 21st power Watts/liter. Since 1978 we have pursued an approach for the upconversion of longer wavelength radiation incident upon isomeric nuclear populations that can avoid many of the difficulties encountered with traditional concepts of single photon pumping.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA199327
Entities
People
- Carl B. Collins
Organizations
- University of Texas at Dallas