Negative ion effects in CO2 convection laser discharges

Negative ions are computed to be formed on a time scale and in quantities such that they may be a cause of plasma instability observed in low pressure electrical discharge convection CO₂ lasers. In a typical CO₂−N₂−He−H₂O laser mixture the principal ions are CO ₃ ⁻ , CO ₄ ⁻ and H⁻ with the total negative ion densityn ₋ given by 0.1n _e <n ₋<n _e , wheren _e is the electron density: but if the gases are re-cycled or if there is an air leak NO ₂ ⁻ and NO ₃ ⁻ are formed in significant amounts andn ₋ can become greater thann _e in a time considerably less than the gas dwell time in the electrical excitation discharge. CO is effective in reducingn ₋ in a system without re-cycling, but is ineffective in a re-cycled system with the oxides of nitrogen present.     

Narrow-band BoxCARS applied to CO2 laser discharges

Summary CARS (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering) has developed into a powerful tool for studying molecular systems. One of its possibilities is to derive vibrational and rotational temperatures as well as concentrations of molecules from measurements of the energy level population differences. A very good spatial resolution of CARS technique is one of its important advantages. This feature has been utilized for making spatially resolved measurements of the vibrational and rotational temperatures of N₂ in a d.c.-excited transverse-flow CO₂ laser discharge. Apart from that also spectra of CO₂, CO and O₂ in the discharge have been taken, which allowed us to evaluate the spatial distributions of those components in the discharge. Additionally first investigations of a microwave-excited CO₂ laser module have been performed for comparison. Paper presented at the ?XI European CARS Workshop?, Florence, Italy, 23–25 March, 1992.     

CO2-laser gas discharges in narrow gaps

We have studied RF discharges as excitation mechanisms for distributed feedback (DFB) CO₂ lasers. For CO₂ laser plasmas the reduced electric fieldE/N has to be in a well-defined range. The reduced electric fieldsE/N of gas discharges in the narrow gaps with widths of the order of 100 m required for DFB are considerably above this range. In order to study the feasibility of these RF-excited discharges for DFB CO₂ lasers we have measured the electron temperatureT _e in their plasmas. From helium-line-intensity ratios we have deduced a lower limit of the electron temperatureT _e of 4eV. The observed high intensities of bands of singly ionized nitrogen indicate an even higher electron temperature, but an efficient pumping of the upper laser level is not possible with an electron temperature above 2.5 eV.We have estimated the electron densityn _e and the current densityj _e from ratios of the intesities of forbidden and allowed helium lines. The high current densityj _e is in the range of abnormal glow discharges.In the gas discharges between narrow gaps the electron oscillation amplitudex _e is large than the electrode separationd. In order to replace the resulting high electron losses a high electron temperatureT _e is necessary to sustain the gas discharge. Because of this high electron temperatureT _e an efficient pumping of the upper laser level is not possible.     

Negative ion formation and evolution in atmospheric pressure corona discharges between point-to-plane electrodes with arbitrary needle angle

The change in the distribution pattern of negative ions HO^–, NO_x^-_{x}^{-} and CO_x^-_{x}^{-} observed on arbitrary point-to-plane electrode configuration has been investigated by varying the angle of needle to the plane electrode, under atmospheric pressure corona discharge conditions. The stationary inhomogeneous electric field distributions between the point-to-plane electrodes with arbitrary needle angle were calculated. The experimental and theoretical results obtained suggested that the negative ion evolutions progress along field lines established between the electrodes with arbitrary configurations and the resulting terminal ion formation on a given field line is attributable to the electric field strength on the needle tip surface where the field line arose. The NO_x^-_{x}^{-} and CO_x^-_{x}^{-} ions were dominantly produced on the field lines arising from the needle tip apex region with the highest electric field strength, while the field lines emanating from the tip peripheral regions with lower field strength resulted in the formation of the HO^– ion.     

rf waveguide CO2 laser

Tarnslated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 54, No. 6, pp. 939–945, June, 1991.     

Gasdynamic cw CO2 laser

The principles of the physical processes in a high-power gasdynamic cw CO= laser are considered. An equation is derived for the output power, with account taken of the vibrational-nonequilibrium flow of the mixture through the nozzle and of the action of the optical resonator. A theory of the energy of the optical resonator used in the GDL is constructed. The corresponding models of the working medium in the section in which the gas flows through a supersonic nozzle and the optical resonator are presented. The efficiency of a resonator with a uniform field is calculated. The first experiments that have led to realization of the idea of the GDL are described. Experiments that have established for the first time that inactive absorption takes place in the amplifying medium of GDL based on combustion products are also described.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta im. P. N. Lebedeva, Vol. 3, pp. 50–114, 1979.     

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%.     

Negative molecular ion formation and work function changes: Experimental results for CO and CO2 scattering from nickel (+potassium) surfaces

The scattering of CO⁺ and CO⁺₂ at grazing incidence from Ni(111)+K and clean Ni(111), Ni(110) surfaces produces CO, CO₂ and dissociated species. The observation of negative species O⁻ and CO⁻₂ is strongly dependent on the K coverage or work function of the surface. The dissociation of CO⁺ (CO) is weakly changed by the presence of K, whereas in the CO⁺₂ (CO₂) case dissociation via CO⁻₂ → CO + O⁻ is strongly increasing with K coverage.     

Study of the ion composition of an expanding magnesium plasma produced by a CO2 laser

The evolution of the ion composition of a laser plasma during its expansion over a large distance is studied. The plasma is produced by a TIR CO₂ laser with a pulse energy up to 100 J and duration of ～20 ns. X-ray diagnostics with the use of a spectrograph and X-ray PIN diodes was applied to study the plasma near the target surface. At large distances from the target surface, time-of-flight neutral-particle diagnostics with the use of an electrostatic analyzer and ion collector was applied. Calculations performed with the GIDRA-1 code agree well with experimental data.     

CO2激光调Q技术

调Q技术是实现小型CO₂激光器短脉冲输出的重要手段,近年来随着短脉冲CO₂激光器在激光测距、测速、成像雷达、环境探测、空间通讯及激光与物质相互作用等领域应用需求的不断增长,激光调Q技术越来越受到国内外专家的关注而成为红外激光技术的研究热点之一。本文就目前用于CO₂激光器中实现短脉冲输出的5种主要调Q技术（机械调Q技术、电光调Q技术、声光调Q技术、被动调Q技术、复合调Q技术）的国内外发展历程和现状进行了综合评述,总结分析了各种方法的关键技术和存在的问题,并简要分析了该技术的未来发展趋势。     

CO2激光扫描辐照修复熔石英表面损伤

采用振镜系统结合10.6 m的CO2激光,对熔石英表面损伤点进行辐照,成功地修复了直径500 m的大尺寸损伤点,损伤修复后表面无烧蚀残留,损伤内部完全愈合,无气泡和残余裂纹。和定点修复方式相比,这种修复具有修复尺度大、面形影响区域小、应力分布范围小的优势。80%扫描辐照修复的损伤点的初始损伤阈值恢复甚至超过了基底的初始损伤阈值。     

Electron drift velocity in CO2 laser mixtures

Summary A modified Bradbury-Nielsen grid system has been used to measure the electron drift velocityW in two gas mixtures of special interest when modelling h.p. CO₂ lasers. The results are compared with the theoretical values obtained with the conventional two-term theory in order to assess the limits of the theoretical predictions and have indications on the accuracy of the available cross-sections. G.N.E.Q.P.-C.N.R.     

Tea CO2 laser beam absorption in polyethylene

The absorption coefficient of polyethylene sheets has been measured for two wavelengths (0.6328 μm, He-Ne laser; 10.6 μm, CO₂ laser). For TEA CO₂ laser power densities up to 10⁴ W cm⁻², the absorption coefficient was found to be 35.36 cm⁻¹. The measured absorption coefficient shows that polyethylene sheets are good and simple attenuators for CO₂ laser radiation.     

A simple dye-sensitized solar cell sealing technique using a CO2 laser beam excited by 60 Hz AC discharges

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) use two glass substrates (photo electrode and counter electrode) coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) to harvest light into the cell and to collect electrons. The space between the photo electrode and the counter electrode are filled with a liquid type electrolyte for electron transfer into the cell. Therefore, an appropriate sealing method is required to prevent the liquid electrolyte leaking out. In this paper, a simple CO₂ laser beam with TEM₀₀ mode excited by a 60 Hz AC discharge was used to seal two glass substrates coated with FTO for the fabrication of DSSCs. The sealing technique improved the durability and stability of the DSSCs. The optimal conditions for the sealing of the DSSCs are related to the pin-hole diameter, the discharge current and the moving velocity of the target. Especially, the CO₂ laser beam is used as a heat source that is precisely controlled by the pin-hole, which plays an important role in adjusting its spot size. From these results, the maximum laser power was found to be 40 W at 18 Torr and 35 mA. In order to achieve the best sealing quality, the following parameters are required: a pin-hole diameter of 4 mm, input voltage of 10.73 kV, discharge current of 9.31 mA, moving velocity of 1 mm/s and distance from the target surface of 26.5 cm. Scanning electron microscope images show that the sealing quality obtained using the CO₂ laser beam is superior to that obtained using a hot press or soldering iron.     

The laser pulse from a rf waveguide CO2 laser

The behaviour of a rf-excited waveguide CO₂ laser in the pulse regime is studied experimentally. The specific time sections of the pulse have been defined and described in detail. The output pulse evolution versus input power, pressure of the laser mixture, output coupling, repetition frequency and pulse width has been investigated. The spectral content of the pulse has been analysed. A model explaining the effect of laser tuning during the pulse duration is given. The ultrahigh pulse (UHP), defined as the pulse for which the bulge effect occurs, is predicted. Received: 22 October 2002 / Revised version: 13 January 2003 / Published online: 26 March 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +48-71/3203-189, E-mail: eda@zr.ita.pwr.wroc.pl     

高功率TEA CO2激光器两波长激光切换输出技术

 以TEA CO₂激光器通常采用的平-凹光学稳定腔为基础,提出了一种新的波长选支方法——输出窗口镀膜选支方法。利用一台高平均功率TEA CO₂激光器进行了选支实验研究,结合现有光学镀膜技术,得到了中心波长为9.3 μm的激光单谱线输出,其单脉冲能量及平均功率与激光器原中心波长10.6 μm单谱线输出的相应参数基本相当。研究发现,以相同单脉冲能量激光照射热敏纸时,中心波长9.3 μm激光光斑与中心波长10.6 μm的明显不同。同时,还设计出两波长窗口密闭免调切换装置,在一台激光器上实现了10.6,9.3 μm两个中心波长激光同等功率水平的免调切换输出,切换位置误差小于5″,密封性能满足使用要求。