Title :
Subnanosecond multi-gigawatt CO2 laser
Author :
Pogorelsky, Igor V. ; Fischer, Joachim ; Kusche, Karl P. ; Babzien, Marcus ; Kurnit, N.A. ; Bigio, I.J. ; Harrison, R.F. ; Shimada, T.
Author_Institution :
Brookhaven Nat. Lab., Upton, NY, USA
fDate :
3/1/1995 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A semiconductor switching technique has been utilized to produce 30-300 ps variable duration CO2 laser pulses of 0.5-MW peak power. Eight passes through a 1.2-m long, UV-preionized, 3-atm TE CO2 amplifier raise the output laser peak power to the 1010 W level. Sampling the amplifier gain in linear and saturated regimes using CO2 laser radiation ranging from CW to 30 ps pulse length permits comparison with computer modeling of picosecond CO2 pulse amplification. The potential for further peak power scaling of picosecond molecular lasers is discussed
Keywords :
carbon compounds; gas lasers; high-speed optical techniques; laser modes; optical saturation; semiconductor switches; 0.5 MW; 1.2 m; 30 to 300 ps; CO2; CO2 laser radiation; TE CO2 amplifier; UV-preionized; amplifier gain sampling; computer modeling; linear regimes; output laser peak power; peak power scaling; picosecond CO2 pulse amplification; picosecond molecular lasers; pulse length; saturated regimes; semiconductor switching technique; subnanosecond multi-gigawatt CO2 laser; variable duration CO2 laser pulses; Gain; Laser modes; Optical pulses; Power amplifiers; Power lasers; Power semiconductor switches; Pulse amplifiers; Sampling methods; Semiconductor lasers; Tellurium;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
