V F Fedorov

CuBr Laser Excited by a Capacitively Coupled Longitudinal Discharge

The paper presents the study of the CuBr laser energy characteristics using capacitively coupled discharge excitation. We have studied the effect of the addition of HBr on laser performance for gas discharge tubes of different bore diameter at various input power conditions. When adding HBr pulse and average output power as well as laser efficiency more than double increase due to the shortening of the current pulse rising time and its duration. The total maximum average lasing power of 3.7 W was obtained at 0.27% efficiency. In the paper, we also notice that when adding admixtures capacitively coupled discharge pumping is superior to traditional glow discharge pumping.

Long-pulse copper bromide laser

In this paper the results of investigation of copper bromide vapor laser with pulse duration up to 320ns are presented. For pulse extension, the system of limitation of discharge current, based on a composite switch consisting of a thyratron and a tacitron connected in series, was used. This method allows to limit the excitation of lasing transitions in the initial stage of the discharge, thereby increasing the inversion lifetime. Researchers have shown that the longest duration of lasing is achieved with relatively low pulse repetition frequencies (2-5 kHz) in tubes of a medium and large diameter.

PRR performance of Cu- and CuBr-vapor lasers

Results obtained from comparative analysis of the pulse repetition rate performance of Cu- and CuBr-vapor lasers operated at high pump pulse repetitions (approximately 100 kHz) are reported. For a CuBr laser with a 8 mm diameter discharge tube the laser pulse repetition rate as high as 270 kHz was realized.

High pulse-repetition rate metal and metal halide vapor lasers

In the paper, we show the present state of the art of high pulse repetition frequency (PRF) metal vapor lasers (MVL’s) and metal halide vapor lasers (MHVL’s) development. We also analyze underlying physical features, which limit optimum and maximum PRF of the above lasers and mention the results of the experimental study of high PRF CuBr and PbBr2 vapor lasers. By use of a powerful tasitron as a switch and a small hydrogen additive to the buffer gas Ne we obtained the output power of a practical use with PRF more than 200 kHz. Given PRF 250 kHz and a laser tube of diameter 2.5 cm and length 76 cm, we have got the output power 1.5 W. For PRF 200 kHz and 100 kHz, the output power 3 W and 10.5 W has been got respectively without gas flow across the discharge tube. Experimental and numerical modeling data evidence that the small H2 (or Cs) additives improve the frequency and output features of MVL’s and MHVL’s.

High-pulse-repetition-frequency CuBr laser

In the paper, we present new results of CuBr-laser study in a regular pulse mode with a high PRF and in a mode of modified double pumping pulses with PRF = 30 kHz. It has been shown a stable PRF over 500 kHz can be obtained.

Combined weak-current discharge in a copper-vapor laser

We have considered the application of a new method of pumping of active media on metal vapors by a combined weak-current discharge. A distinguishing feature of a weak-current discharge compared to the method for the traditional pumping of self-contained lasers is the regime of lower energy input to the discharge. Using this regime, it is possible to realize a pulsed-periodic form of the discharge with laser pulses of various shapes and durations at low current amplitudes (several amperes). Additional pulsed-periodic discharge is used to heat the active zone.