Compact Flowing Gas System for Lasers.
Abstract
A miniature air actuated vacuum transducer is connected on downstream side of a laser and is disposed for creating a vacuum suction for exhausting gas from a flowing gas laser system. Miniature gas lasers such as waveguide CO2 systems utilize internal gas mixtures at partial atmospheric pressures. Longitudinally excited lasers typically are operated at low pressures on the order of 35 to 200 Torr. The transversely excited (TE) waveguide lasers are operated at somewhat higher pressures (50 to 300 Torr typically), and although pressures as high as 4 atmospheres have been reported, numerous limitations still exist in the development of positive pressure transversely excited (TEA) lasers in waveguide configurations. Successful operation of low power, longitudinally excited CO2, waveguide lasers has been obtained withh sealed off gas reservoirs, and commercial versions of CW waveguide lasers are now available from at least two sources. However for higher power, pulsed, and TE configurations, flowing gas systems at partial atmospheric pressures are generally employed with some sort of vacuum pumping. The triple requirements of relatively low absolute pressure (100 Torr), capable of starting at atmospheric pressure, and capable of exhausting into atmospheric pressure cannot be met by most of the lighter and smaller classes of vacuum pumps.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 23, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADD006487
Entities
People
- Henry L. Pratt
Organizations
- United States Army