Compact High PRF CO2 Transmitter
Abstract
The Phase I program explored the generation of submicrosecond wide CO2 laser pulsewidths using a completely sealed-off, non-recirculating pulsed discharge gain medium. Two sealed-off devices with nominal gain volumes of 1.5 mL and 35 mL were utilized in the Phase I program to generate pulses as short as several microseconds at atmospheric pressure and as long as 10 to 20 microseconds at pressures in the 60 to 100 torr region. Sealed-off PRF's from 50 to 500 Hz were used and single-fill lifetimes in excess of 4.4 x 10 to the 6th power pulses were achieved in preliminary experiments. Using the above sealed- off devices, pulsewidths as short as 500 nsec were shown to be possible using an intracavity gas modulator in conjunction with high level discharge pulsing. The function of the passive Q-switching modulator was to delay the onset of lasing until a higher inversion could accumulate and prevent the re-emergence of a second Q-switching laser pulse when the upper CO2 laser level re-equilibrates. Q-switching under an enhanced gain-switched envelope produced output pulses with energies up to several mJ/pulse with peak power in the several KW range. In addition to generating pulsewidths meeting the Phase I goals, the pressure at which the above devices operated was shown to be generally compatible with a single laser that could operate with a cw and energetic short pulse output format.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA255985