Optimization and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser

J. Bruzzese; M. Nishihara; A. Hicks; W. R. Lempert; J. W. Rich; I. V. Adamovich

doi:10.1117/12.783781

12 May 2008 Optimization and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser

J. Bruzzese, M. Nishihara, A. Hicks, W. R. Lempert, J. W. Rich, I. V. Adamovich

Proceedings Volume 7005, High-Power Laser Ablation VII; 70051H (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.783781
Event: High-Power Laser Ablation 2008, 2008, Taos, New Mexico, United States

Abstract

The paper discusses optimization of gain and output power and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser. For this, NO addition to the laser mixture and iodine vapor dissociation in an auxiliary high-voltage, nanosecond pulse duration, repetitively pulsed discharge ("side" discharge) are used. Iodine dissociation fraction generated in the side discharge and measured in the M=3 laser cavity is up to 50%. The experiments showed that additional iodine dissociation generated in the side discharge only moderately increased laser gain, by 10-15%. Parametric gain optimization by varying main discharge pressure, O₂ and NO fractions in the flow, I2 flow rate, pulsed discharge frequency, and sustainer discharge power, with the side discharge in operation produced gain up to 0.08 %/cm. Two parameters that critically affect gain are the energy loading per molecule in the discharge and the NO flow rate controlling the O atom concentration in the flow. Operation at the main discharge pressure of 60 torr resulted in significantly higher gain than at 100 torr, 0.080 %/cm vs. 0.043 %/cm, due to high discharge energy loading per molecule at the lower pressure. Laser output power measured at the gain optimized conditions is 1.4 W. Experiments with a scaled-up laser with a large volume pulser-sustainer discharge (10 cm x 10 cm x 2 cm vs. 5 cm x 5 cm x 2 cm) and longer gain path (10 cm vs. 5 cm) demonstrated stable discharge operation at discharge powers up to at least 2.9 kW. Singlet delta yield and gain measurements in the scaled-up laser are underway.

Citation Download Citation

J. Bruzzese, M. Nishihara, A. Hicks, W. R. Lempert, J. W. Rich, and I. V. Adamovich "Optimization and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser", Proc. SPIE 7005, High-Power Laser Ablation VII, 70051H (12 May 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.783781

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