A Compact Pulsed HF Laser Based on an Auto-Wave Photon-Branched Chain Reaction

Huge energy gain is detected theoretically in a pulsed chemical laser-amplifier based on a photon-branched chain reaction initiating in a gaseous disperse medium composed of H₂–F₂–O₂–He and Al particles by focused external infrared radiation. It is shown that this effect is observed due to the other optical effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of the input radiation on a certain type of bicomponent optical system coupled structurally with the input mirror of an unstable telescopic laser cavity. Such a relatively simple bicomponent diffraction system, consisting of two plane screens with circular apertures on a given optical axis, enables one to focus the input beam without using classical refraction elements such as lenses and prisms. The focusing of the input signal ensures the minimization of the initially excited volume of the laser active medium and the appropriate sharp lowering of the necessary energy of the input pulse up to 10^-6 J. This enables the laser system to reach a high value of the energy gain of 10⁹. The huge laser energy gain allows us to use a master oscillator in the form of a small microjoule laser powered by an accumulator, and consequently makes it possible to construct a completely self-contained compact pulsed chemical HF-laser.     

First-stage enrichment in CO2-laser-induced13C separation by a two-stage IRMPD process: IRMPD of CHClF2/Br2 mixtures

We have been studying the practical CO₂-laser-induced¹³C separation by a two-stage IRMPD process. The IRMPD of natural CHClF₂ in the presence of Br₂ mainly produced CBr₂F₂, which was found to be highly enriched with¹³C. The yield and¹³C-atom fraction of CBr₂F₂ were examined as functions of pulse number, laser line, laser fluence, total pressure, and Br₂ pressure using a CO₂ TEA laser with an output less than 1 J pulse^–1 in order to optimize experimental conditions for¹³C separation. For example, we obtained CBr₂F₂ at a¹³C concentration of 55% in the irradiation of the mixture of 100-Torr CHClF₂ and 10-Torr Br₂ with the laser radiation at a wavenumber of 1045.02 cm^–1 and at a fluence of 3.4 J cm^–2. The mechanism for the IRMPD is discussed on the basis of observed results. Using 8-J pulses, we were able to obtain 1.9×10^–4 g of¹³C-enriched CBr₂F₂ (¹³C-atom fraction, 47%) per pulse under selected conditions. It is possible to produce 90% or higher¹³C by the second-stage IRMPD of the CBr₂F₂ in the presence of oxygen.     

Laser resonance external photoelectric effect in F 2 − color centers of LiF crystals

The laser-resonance two-step external photoelectric effect is revealed in the F ₂ ^– color centers of LiF crystals exposed to nanosecond laser pulses. The first photoionization step uses IR radiation tunable within the resonance absorption band of the color centers and the second step the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser. The photoionization cross sections of the F ₂ ^– centers are estimated.     

A study of the electron quenching of excimers in a KrF* laser excited by a coaxial electron beam

Measurements of the output energy, the optical pulse length and the build-up time of the laser pulse, obtained with a coaxially e-beam pumped KrF^* laser, were performed varying the total gas fill pressure, the F₂ content and the e-beam current from 1–5 bar, 0.1–0.8% and 13.3–26.6 kA, respectively. The maximum specific extraction energy amounts to 64 J/l. The large range of measurements, especially at low F₂ concentrations, reveals the necessity to extend the kinetics of the F₂ chain in the usual computer model. With the introduction of electron quenching of KrF^* and ArF^* by dissociative attachment the predictions are also for low F₂ concentration in agreement with experiments.     

Practical separation of silicon isotopes by IRMPD of Si2F6

Large-scale silicon isotope separation based on the IRMPD of natural Si₂F₆ has been carried out using a commercially available high power CO₂ TEA laser and a flow reaction system. The decomposition product SiF₄ containing 19–33% of ³⁰Si was obtained at a production rate of 1.5×10^–2–2.6×10^–2 mol·h^–1, depending on experimental parameters such as laser wavelength, laser fluence, pressure, and flow rate. SiF₄ containing 12% of ²⁹Si was obtained under slightly different conditions, i.e., at a shorter wavelength than that for ³⁰Si. When 39% of Si₂F₆ was decomposed at a slow flow rate, residual Si₂F₆ was found to have 99.7% of ²⁸Si. The production rate was 4.2×10^–2 mol·h^–1.     

Diagnostics of a Compact Discharge-Pumped XeCl Laser with BCl3 Halogen Donor

The results of a comprehensive study of a compact UV-preionized XeCl laser are presented. The subjects of this study were: discharge voltage and current measurements, dye laser probing of the active medium, and the mass spectrometry of gas mixture degradation products. It is shown that the gas lifetime was significantly improved when the laser was operated with BCl₃ as a halogen donor instead of commonly used HCl. By the dye laser absorption and gain probing, the temporal and spatial dependences of the densities for several plasma components, Ne*, Xe*, Xe⁺*, Cl^–, XeCl* and of ground state boron atoms were measured. Some aspects of plasma kinetics for uniform and constricted phases of the discharge are discussed. By the mass spectrometry of gas mixture degradation products on long-term operation of the laser device several gaseous (N₂, O₂, CO₂, H₂O, C₂H₄) and solid (NiCl₂, H₃BO₃) products were detected in the laser chamber. NH₄Cl was determined to be a stable fraction of the deposits on optics surfaces. The reasons for the improvement of gas lifetime for BCl₃-containing gas mixtures are discussed.     

Optimization of operating regimes of pulsed electron-beam-controlled CO2 lasers

The dependences of the lasing characteristics of the pulsed electron-beam-controlled C0₂ lasers on the excitation conditions are investigated. The dependences of the laser efficiency, of the emission pulse duration, and of the specific energy output on the duration and intensity of the pump, on the composition of the working gas mixture, and on the resonator parameters are analyzed. It is shown that the optimal pump-pulse duration needed to attain a high specific energy output and efficiency is 10–40 usec, and that in this case the best working mixtures are those containing C0₂ and N₂ in a ratio (1:2)–(1:4). Introduction of a small addition of H₂ into a C0₂:N₂ mixture leads to an efficiency 15–20% higher than in analogous mixtures without the H₂. When the C02:N2:He mixture is replaced by C0₂:N₂:H₂, the maximum efficiency realized in the experiment remains practically exchanged, but the specific energy output increases because a higher specific pump energy is reached.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta im. P. N. Lebedeva Akademii Nauk SSSR, Vol. 116, pp. 98–117 (1980).     

Scaling and performance of CO2 lasers at supra-atmospheric pressure

The performance of a compact uv photo-preionized TE laser is studied in the pressure range 1–5 bar. As the pressure is increased, the laser pulse shape is little altered, but both the peak power and the total output pulse energy increase significantly with pressure, even for constant input electrical energy. For various gas mixtures and excitation source capacitors the measurements suggest approximate output energy scaling with the product of the source charge per unit electrode area [C.m^–2] and the molecular partial pressure [CO₂+N₂+CO]. This is explained in terms of the pressure-dependent discharge impedance. An input-energy-related discharge instability limits the optimum laser pressure to 1.5–2.5 bar, and we show that, at constant input energy, the instability boundary depends on the molecular partial pressure alone. The pre-ionization photo-electron yield varies negligibly with pressure, but the discharge tolerance to added oxygen decreases asp ^–3 top ^–4, dependent on gas mixture. Nevertheless sealed operation for >10⁵ shots has been obtained with a 5% CO₂5% CO3% N₂2% H₂85% He gas mixture at a total pressure of 5 bar.     

Systematic experimental study of instabilities in the sealed CO2 laser

A systematic pressure-current experimental study of the wave instability regions in glow-discharge of different CO₂ laser mixtures has been accomplished. The forward ionization wave F^– has been found to be the main instability. At low currents (< 30 mA) and higher pressures (> 550 Pa) the laser discharge becomes stable. The highest output power at a given mixture ratio was achieved in these quiet regions. The normalized electric field dependences of wavenumber, phase and group velocities of the F^– wave are presented.     

紧凑的非链式脉冲HF激光器

研究了气体组分和峰化电容对紫外光预电离脉冲HF激光器性能的影响.实验发现最佳气体混合比为SF₆/C₂H₆=20:1,峰化电容和主放电电容的最佳比为C_p/C_s=0.3,在最佳气体混合比时,最大激光脉冲峰值功率和对应的总气压随充电电压的提高而增大.同时得到了E/P值和激光能量的关系.整个器件的最大激光输出为400mJ,脉冲峰值功率为1.5MW,最大电光转换效率约为2.2%.     

Heat transfer from small tungsten spheres into an ambient H2 atmosphere

The transfer of heat from tungsten spheres into an ambient H₂ atmosphere was investigated. The spheres had a radius between 35 and 100 µm and were heated to 1400–2000 K by a laser beam. The H₂ pressure ranged from 35 to 1000 mbar. Heat transfer by convection is effective with large spheres and high H₂ pressures. With small spheres and low H₂ pressures, a pronounced temperature discontinuity at the interface between the tungsten sphere and the ambient gas was observed. The results are relevant to the modelling of gas-phase transport phenomena in laser processing.     

Characteristics and efficiency of a compact HF laser initiated by an electron beam

A compact hydrogen fluoride laser is described and its efficiency is evaluated. The HF laser is initiated by injecting a 150 kV electron beam into a mixture of SF₆ and H₂ transversely to the laser cell axis. The optimum laser energy characteristics are determined as a function of the beam energy and gas pressure.     

Optical emission diagnostics of laser-induced plasma for diamond-like film deposition

Optical emission from a laser-induced plasma plume is recorded during KrF excimer laser ablation of graphite in a gas mixture of Ar and H₂ (3%) for deposition of diamond-like thin films. At sub-GW/cm² laser intensities the spectrum is dominated by the bands of C₂ and CN. From the band intensities, the vibrational temperatures of both radicals are calculated to be 12–15×10³ K, and their concentrations are estimated to be 5×10¹⁴ cm^–3 and 2×10¹⁴ cm^–3, respectively.     

Laser cleaving on glass sheets with multiple laser beams

A multiple laser system consisting of CO₂ line-shaped and Nd-YAG pulsed lasers was applied to cleave a soda-lime glass substrate in this study. Due to an increase of absorption coefficient of the wavelength of 1.06 μm for Nd-YAG laser on the soda-lime glass at high temperatures, the glass sheets were preheated by the CO₂ line-shaped laser and followed with the pulsed Nd-YAG laser to generate a mixture fracture mode on the substrate. The stress distribution on the glass substrate cleaved by the multiple laser beams has been analyzed. An uncoupled thermal–elastic analysis based on the finite-element method (FEM) was made. The numerical results show that the stress field of the fracture region is caused by a complex stress state and the cleavages are significantly affected by the pulsed laser. A clean cut of the soda-lime glass substrate could be obtained due to a large shear stress state on the cutting direction with the pulsed laser radiated on the glass substrate.     

Infrared absorption of silane,ammonia, acetylene and diborane in the range of the CO2 laser emission lines: Measurements and modelling

Absorption spectra of the gases SiH₄, NH₃, C₂H₂ and of SiH₄/Ar and SiH₄/B₂H₆ mixtures have been measured in the spectral range of the CO₂ laser from 9.2 to 10.8 µm. In agreement with literature, silane shows the highest absorption (absorption coefficient = 3.3 × 10^–2 Pa^–1 m^–1). The deviation of the measured absorption behaviour of silane from literature, as far as the pressure dependence is concerned, can be explained by the enhanced spectral energy density in our experiment. This is confirmed by a rate-equation model involving the basic mechanisms of V-V and V-T energy transfer between vibrationally excited silane molecules. In contrast to silane, the absorption coefficient of NH₃ at the 10P(20) laser line is 4.5 × 10^–4 Pa^–1 m^–1 atp = 20 kPa and has its maximum of 4.5 × 10^–3 Pa^–1 m^–1 at the 10R(6) laser line. For C₂H₂ and B₂H₆, is even less ( 2.1 Ò 10^–5 Pa^–1 m^–1 for C₂H₂).     

HF-laser performance of CO2-laser-ignited mixtures of SF6 :H2 and of S2F10 :H2

We have used a CO₂ laser to ignite mixtures of SF₆ :H₂ and S₂F₁₀ :H₂. We observed HF lasing from these mixtures when an optical resonator was constructed around the reaction cell. The HF-lasing performance of the two mixtures was compared as a function of mixture ratio, fluorine-donor pressure, and CO₂-laser frequency. Under comparable conditions, the HF-laser output for S₂F₁₀ :H₂ mixtures was typically 5–6 times greater than that for SF₆ :H₂ mixtures. Spectral output of the HF laser was coarsely resolved to provide data about the vibrational and rotational states of the HF molecule.     

Enrichment of 13C by IRMPD of CBr2F2

The CO₂-laser-induced infrared multiple photon decomposition of natural CBr₂F₂ in the presence of oxygen has been examined as a function of pulse number (30–1500), reactant pressures (CBr₂F₂, 10–150 Torr and O₂, 5–90 Torr), laser line [9P(8)–9P(32)], and laser fluence (1–3 J cm^–2) to optimize irradiation conditions for ¹³C-enrichment. CF₂O was the main carbon containing product and afterwards was converted into CO₂ via hydrolysis. A small amount of C₂Br₂F₄ was detected only under extreme conditions, for example, at high laser fluences or wavenumbers close to an absorption band. The ¹³C-atom fraction of the final product CO₂ was found to be 20–80%, depending on experimental conditions. The two-stage IRMPD process proposed previously has been examined in further detail in the present study. First, CBr₂F₂ containing about 30% of ¹³C was prepared in the ¹³C-selective IRMPD of natural CHClF₂ in the presence of Br₂. The second-stage IRMPD of the CBr₂F₂ in the presence of oxygen under selected conditions resulted in the high enrichment of ¹³C beyond 90%.     

X-ray preionized CO2 laser

A short pulse (100 ns) high-energy x-ray source has been used to preionize a transversely excited carbon dioxide gas discharge laser of 600 cm³ active volume. The maximum output power of 60 MW in a 50 ns FWHM pulse was achieved from a CO₂–N₂–He–CO–Xe static gas mixture at 600 Torr pressure. The energy conversion efficiency was 6%.