Scaling Discharge Pumped Rare Gas Lasers and Ultra-High Average Power
Abstract
Discharge pumped rare gases have been made to laser on a number of transitions from 0.63 microns in the visible to 4 microns in the IR. Most of these lasers have operated in low pressure discharges with efficiencies of < 1%. Soviet scientists at the Lebedev Institute obtained an intrinsic efficiency of 5% at 1.73 microns in an electron beam controlled discharge. The laser mixture was Ar/Xe at total pressures of 1-4 atmospheres. More recently several groups in the U.S. including SRL, have obtained efficient lasing action in atmospheric pressure Ar/Xe mixtures. These lasers offer several advantages including: high duty factor waveforms which will eliminate the effects of stimulated Raman Scattering on atmospheric propagation, no fuel burnup, and high specific energy extraction (50 J/L) resulting in compact, inexpensive laser devices. The key issue to be addressed before the potential of these lasers can be realized is the stability of the laser discharge for long pulse durations at the required power densities. This issue has been investigated theoretically during Phase I of this effort. SRL has also developed a laser kinetic model for the Ar/Xe laser. Both the discharge and laser kinetic models will be presented in this report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 17, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA351541
Entities
People
- Jonah Jacob
- Reich Watterson