United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Leonard Hanko

Steven J Davis

John W Glessner

The invention comprises a mirrorless iodine laser having an elongated sealed iodine cell for both receiving and emitting laser energy. A pumping laser is used for projecting a laser beam into the sealed cell along its long axis in order to excite the iodine molecules within the cell and cause their release of laser energy. A heater is used for heating the sealed cell to a temperature that increases the amplified spontaneous emissions (ASE) of the iodine in the sealed cell when it is excited by the pumping laser.

High power tunable infrared mirrorless laser

This invention comprises an optically pumped iodine monofluoride laser operating on the B.sup.3 .pi.(0.sup.+).fwdarw.X.sup.2 .SIGMA..sup.+ system. Ground state IF was produced by the reaction between I.sub.2 and F.sub.2 in an optical cavity which was subsequently optically pumped with a high energy, broadband dye laser to produce lasing energy.

Optically pumped iodine monofluoride laser

An improvement within an oxygen-iodine chemical laser in the form of a mass flow rate detector for rapidly, accurately, and reliably detecting the mass flow rate of iodine into the resonant cavity of the laser. A mass flow rate detector has an absorption cell to which either an inert gas or an iodine-inert gas mixture is passed. An electromagnetic beam of preselected wavelengths in the bound-continuum absorption region is passed through the absorption cell while either the iodine-inert gas mixture or only the inert gas is therein. By measuring the intensity of the beam passing through the absorption cell molecular absorption can be utilized for determining the concentration of the iodine in the iodine-inert gas mixture. From this value the mass flow rate of the iodine passing through the absorption cell and into the resonant cavity of the laser is determined.

Halogen mass flow rate detection system

A halogen mass flow rate detection system having an absorption cell through which a halogen entrained inert gas can be passed. An electromagnetic beam of preselected wavelength in the bound-continuum absorption region is passed through the cell while the halogen entrained inert gas is passed therethrough and also while only an inert gas is passed through the cell. By measuring the intensity of the beam passing through the absorption cell, molecular absorption can be utilized for determining the concentration and, therefore, the mass flow rate of the halogen passing through the absorption cell. By incorporating the halogen mass flow rate detection system in an iodine/oxygen chemical laser, for example, the mass flow rate of the iodine into the resonant cavity of the laser can be simply, accurately and reliably ascertained.

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Rio Rancho, NM, United States of America

Leonard Hanko