Accession Number:

AD0857826

Title:

Investigation of the Effects of Nitrogen and Helium on the Excitation Mechanisms of a Pulsed Carbon Dioxide Laser.

Descriptive Note:

Master's thesis,

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Personal Author(s):

• Figueroa, Francisco Armando

Report Date:

1969-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

109.0

Abstract:

An investigation of the effects of helium and nitrogen addition upon average power, peak power, pulse decay time, and pulse delay time was conducted. The excitation mechanisms for mixtures of carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide-nitrogen, carbon dioxide-helium, and carbon dioxide-nitrogen-helium as proposed by various authors are presented for a qualitative comparison with the mechanisms based on the results contained in this thesis. The recombination and cascade process was the dominant excitation mechanism for mixtures of carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide-nitrogen, and carbon dioxide-nitrogen-helium. The dominant excitation mechanism for carbon dioxide-helium at pressures above 4 torr seemed to be the resonant energy transfer process via excited helium atoms in metastable energy levels, but preliminary time resolved spectral studies failed to detect the presence of these atoms, due to insufficient spectral resolution. Author

Descriptors:

• *CARBON DIOXIDE)
• (*GAS LASERS
• EXCITATION
• MIXTURES
• HELIUM
• NITROGEN
• ELECTRON TRANSITIONS
• MOLECULAR ENERGY LEVELS
• ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES
• THESES
• INFRARED RADIATION

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE