Westinghouse Electric Corporation

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Lyn D Pleasance

William H Kasner

Vincent A Toth

Lelland A Weaver

Laird P Bradley

John R Murray

Ernest P Riedel

Julius Goldhar

Method and apparatus for electrical excitation of a laser gas by application of a pulsed voltage across the gas, followed by passage of a pulsed, high energy electron beam through the gas to initiate a discharge suitable for laser excitation. This method improves upon current power conditioning techniques and is especially useful for driving rare gas halide lasers at high repetition rates.

Electron beam switched discharge for rapidly pulsed lasers

The direct electrical discharge excitation, pulsed or CW, of a laser gas medium consisting of CO.sub.2 :N.sub.2 :He present in the approximate ratio of 1:2:25 at a total gas pressure of between approximately 8 and 12 Torr and an operating temperature between approximately 125.degree. K. and 150.degree. K. supports 16 micron laser radiation on the 02.sup.0 0.fwdarw.01.sup.1 0 CO.sub.2 vibrational transition, and 14 micron laser radiation on the 10.sup.0 0.fwdarw.01.sup.1 0 CO.sub.2 vibrational transition.

Technique for generating 14 and 16 micron CO.sub.2 laser radiation

An atomic iodine laser based on the electrical dissociation of CF.sub.3 I in a gas mixture produces excited atomic iodine in the upper level of its split ground state which subsequently lases at 1.315 micrometers to the lowerlevel of its split ground state. The two level atomic iodine laser process excited by the electrical dissociation of CF.sub.3 I or other alkyl-mono-iodides or perfluro-alkyl-monoiodides is efficient and suitable for high average power levels for application in isotope separation, fusion and weapons systems. Bromides may be substituted for the iodines to provide a two level atomic bromine laser which lases at 2.714 micrometers.

Split ground state atomic iodine or bromine laser

Described herein is a technique for generating 16 .mu.m laser radiation from a CO.sub.2 molecular gas laser system by use of the 02.sup.0 0-01.sup.1 0 vibrational transition of CO.sub.2. The technique employs a system for pumping the CO.sub.2 molecules from the ground state to the 00.sup.0 1 vibrational energy level such that a population inversion is created between the 00.sup.0 1 and 02.sup.0 0 energy levels, and transferring the population of CO.sub.2 molecules from the 00.sup.0 1 level to the 02.sup.0 0 vibrational energy levels by stimulated emission in a time less than the collisional deactivation time of the CO.sub.2 molecule in the 02.sup.0 0 level. This transfer creates a population inversion between the 02.sup.0 0 and the 01.sup.1 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO.sub.2 molecule which results in 16 .mu.m laser radiation. A similar technique for generating 14 .mu.m laser radiation from a CO.sub.2 molecular gas system is achieved by use of the 10.sup.0 0-01.sup.1 0 vibrational transition.

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Livermore, CA, United States of America

Lyn D Pleasance