Photoinitiated F2+H2/D2 chain-reaction laser with high electrical efficiency

Abstract

Performance characteristics are reported for a pulsed HF/DF laser initiated by photodissociation of F2. Laser energy of 292 J is obtained from a 12.8-l active volume for 2.5% HF content at 1-atm total pressure, giving 8.1% chemical efficiency at 29% electrical efficiency. Thirty-three percent electrical efficiency is obtained with and 109-J laser energy. DF lasing produces 144 J with 14% electrical efficiency. Far-field measurements show a uniform beam profile with angular half-angle divergence of 5.5 mrad, in good agreement with the value expected for multimode operation of the large-Fresnel-number stable resonator used.