70-J repped pulse (0.5 Hz) closed-cycle photolytic atomic iodine laser at 1.315 microns with excellent BQ, coherence length, and reliable operation

L. A. Vern Schlie; Robert D. Rathge

doi:10.1117/12.58978

1 May 1992 70-J repped pulse (0.5 Hz) closed-cycle photolytic atomic iodine laser at 1.315 microns with excellent BQ, coherence length, and reliable operation

L. A. Vern Schlie, Robert D. Rathge

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 1628, Intense Laser Beams; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.58978
Event: OE/LASE '92, 1992, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

The performance of a repetitively pulsed, high energy, closed cycle photolytic atomic iodine lasers at 1.315 microns is presented. Using an I₂ removal system for the photolyzed C₃F₇I laser fuel, more than 70 joules/pulse was acquired in the fundamental mode from a M equals 3 confocal unstable resonator at a 0.5 Hz repetition rate. The closed cycle chemical scrubber system consisted of a condensative-evaporative section, two Cu wool I₂ reactor sections, and an internal turbo-blower. This closed cycle system provided C₂F₇I gas at 10 - 60 torr absent of I₂. The turbo-blower produced longitudinal flow velocities greater than 10 m/s through the 150 cm long by 7.5 X 7.5 cm² cross sectional photolytic iodine gain region. In addition to the high energy output, the resulting 10 - 12 microsecond(s) ec laser had a beam quality of less than 1.5 times diffraction limited with a coherence length greater than 45 meters, and a polarization extinction ratio better than 100:1. Projections from this pulsed photolytic atomic iodine laser technology to larger energies, high repetition rates, and variable pulsewidths are discussed. In addition, the performance of cw photolytically excited atomic iodine laser at 1.315 micrometers is reported which has excellent scaling potential. Volumetric extractable cw powers of 55 watts/liter are reported with a small signal gain coefficient of 2%/cm. The potential of enhancing the cw powers to kilowatt levels plus producing variable pulsewidth, repetition rate iodine laser using an internal electro-optical modulator are also discussed.

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L. A. Vern Schlie and Robert D. Rathge "70-J repped pulse (0.5 Hz) closed-cycle photolytic atomic iodine laser at 1.315 microns with excellent BQ, coherence length, and reliable operation", Proc. SPIE 1628, Intense Laser Beams, (1 May 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.58978

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