A Transient Experiment Using a Multiple-Pulse Laser Light Source

Abstract

A technique of passively Q-switching a dye laser is applied to photograph transient development of an unsteady, underexpanded jet. In this technique, a bleachable absorber was used to generate multiple laser pulses which backlighted a Mach-Zehnder optical interferometer used to observe the jet flow; instantaneous images of the laser-illuminated event were swept onto a fixed film drum by a mirror rotating at approximately 75,000 RPM for a film writing speed of approximately 16mm/microsec. The success ratio was achieved despite the fact that control of pulse separation, number of pulses, duration of lasing action, and pulse-to-pulse intensity was not precise. There was more success with the passive technique than with an electronic, high voltage technique--described in the report--for multiple Q-switching of a Pockels cell.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADB014426

Entities

People

  • Fritz H. Oertel Jr.

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cameras
  • Cells
  • Flow
  • High Voltage
  • Interferometers
  • Jet Flow
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Pulses
  • Light (Electromagnetic Radiation)
  • Light Sources
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Optical Interferometers
  • Photographs
  • Pockels Cells
  • Q Switching

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics