Accession Number:

AD0488719

Title:

CHEMICALLY PUMPED LASER SYSTEM.

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 25 Jun 64-30 Apr 66,

Corporate Author:

PHILCO NEWPORT BEACH CA AERONUTRONIC DIV

Personal Author(s):

• Laderman, A.
• Byron, S.
• Kuby, W.
• Lawrence, W.

Report Date:

1966-08-01

Pagination or Media Count:

66.0

Abstract:

The development of a chemically pumped laser is described. The system studied consists of a conventional combustion driven shock tube in which Mach 10 shock waves are produced in xenon, initially at 300 mm Hg. The reflected shock heated xenon at the end of the shock tube acts as the pumping source for a laser crystal installed at the end of the driven section. Brightness temperature of approximately 8000 K were recorded at the end wall for durations of several hundred microseconds. Both a transverse coupling geometry, with the axis of the laser crystal oriented normal to the shock tube axis, and a coaxial coupling geometry, with the axis of the crystal aligned with the shock tube axis, were investigated. The former coupling geometry successfully stimulated laser output from a 14 inch diameter x 2 inch long ruby crystal. The estimated efficiency and yield for converting chemical energy to equivalent electrical pumping energy were 1 and 50 joules gram of expendable materials, respectively. However structural difficulties caused crystal flexure and degraded the output pulse. While this was avoided with the coaxial configuration, the non-uniform distribution of pumping radiation associated with this mode was inadequate to stimulate laser output from ruby. However, strong laser output was recorded with a 14 inch diameter 2 inch long Nd doped glass rod. The efficiency and yield of the coaxial configuration were approximately one-third of those for the transverse geometry. On the basis of relative performance the transverse configuration represents the more promising approach for further study. Author

Descriptors:

• *LASERS
• PUMPING(ELECTRONICS)
• XENON
• ENERGY CONVERSION
• RUBY
• CRYSTALS
• SHOCK TUBES
• ALIGNMENT
• DOPING
• NEODYMIUM
• OPTICAL PUMPING

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers
• Electricity and Magnetism

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE