Title :
Characteristics of a YAG triggered plasma shutter for a CO/sub 2/ laser beam
Author :
Williams, R.L. ; Chase, K.M.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Florida A&M Univ., Tallahassee, FL, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given, as follows. We report the results of studies on the truncation of a CO/sub 2/ laser pulse using a plasma shutter. A short pulsed YAG laser is focused (f/3.4) into a low pressure gas (/spl ap/200 T) along with a longer pulsed CO/sub 2/ laser (f/1.25). The plasma produced by the YAG laser rapidly truncates the CO/sub 2/ laser pulse. We study the characteristics of the shutter as a function of the intensity of both lasers and their relative timing; and the plasma density and species. The resulting shortened CO/sub 2/ laser pulse can be used in plasma wave excitation experiments.
Keywords :
carbon compounds; gas lasers; laser accessories; laser beams; plasma applications; plasma density; plasma light propagation; plasma production by laser; solid lasers; 200 torr; CO/sub 2/; CO/sub 2/ laser beam; CO/sub 2/ laser pulse; YAG; YAG triggered plasma shutter; YAl5O12; low pressure gas; plasma density; plasma shutter; plasma wave excitation experiments; relative timing; short pulsed YAG laser; Gas lasers; Laser beams; Laser modes; Laser theory; Optical pulses; Particle beams; Plasma accelerators; Plasma density; Plasma properties; Plasma waves;
Conference_Titel :
Plasma Science, 1997. IEEE Conference Record - Abstracts., 1997 IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
San Diego, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3990-8
DOI :
10.1109/PLASMA.1997.604486
