United Technologies Corporation

Other

John J Hinchen

LaVerne A Schlie

H Harvey Michels

Sallie S Townsend

Philip R Cunningham

Leon A Baros

Robert A Rathge

A continuous wave photolytic iodine laser has a gain cell for receiving a continuous supply of gaseous fuel. The gain cell is connected to laser beam transfer optics, a laser resonator for shaping a laser beam, and a lamp. The lamp is driven by a microwave subsystem such that a laser gain medium is pumped through the gain cell. The continuous wave photolytic iodine laser of the present invention incorporates a closed loop fuel system for presenting gaseous fuel to the gain cell at a rate sufficient to sweep any lasing by-products out of the gain cell, thereby preventing quenching of the lasing process. The fuel system also includes a condenser for converting the gaseous fuel to a liquid after it has passed through the gain cell, a scrubber for removing the by-products of the lasing process from the fuel, and an evaporator for converting the recycled liquefied fuel back to a gas. The closed loop fuel system also includes a pump for pressurizing and transporting the liquefied fuel.

High power photolytic iodine laser

An energetic compound having the structural formula

High energy-density N.sub.2 O.sub.2 compound

A laser having a gain medium which includes boron oxide (BO) is shown to have an increased optical power output and to achieve other benefits from the addition of carbon tetrafluoride (CF.sub.4) to the gain medium. CF.sub.4, when mixed with BO, induces a vibrational relaxation of a BO(A.sup.2 .pi.) population to a single vibrational level without a significant quenching of the BO(A.sup.2 .pi.) state. The rate of vibrational relaxation induced by the CF.sub.4 additive occurs in an interval of time which is less than that associated with the radiative decay and quenching of the BO(A.sup.2 .pi.) state.

Boron oxide laser with CF.sub.4 additive

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, CT, United States of America

John J Hinchen