This paper discusses the possibility of producing high concentrations of O2(a1Δg) states at pressures up to atmospheric in
rare-gas/oxygen/NO mixtures by using micro-plasmas. Micro-plasmas refer to electric discharges created in very small
geometries which have been proven able to operate in DC mode at high pressure and high power loading without
undergoing any glow to arc transition. The so-called Micro Cathode Sustained Discharge (MCSD), which is a three-electrode
configuration using a Micro Hollow Cathode Discharge (MHCD) as a plasma cathode, can be operated as a
non-self-sustained discharge with low values of the reduced electric field and of the gas temperature. As a result, these
MCSDs can efficiently generate large amounts of singlet delta oxygen. In Ar/O2/NO mixtures, at an oxygen partial
pressure of 10 mbar, high values of O2(a1Δg) number density (1.5 1016 cm-3) and of the production yield (6.7 %) can be
simultaneously obtained. For lower O2 partial pressure, yields higher than 10 % have been measured. In He/O2/NO
mixtures, O2(a1Δg) number densities around 1016 cm-3 were achieved at atmospheric pressure for flow rates in the range
5-30 ln/mn, which could give rise to new applications.
Considered is the method of isothermal calorimeter intended for the measurement of singlet oxygen (SO) concentrations in oxygen flow. The method is distinguished for its simplicity and does not require expensive equipment. However, by now no calculation methods were available that would grant the necessary properties of the calorimeter at designed conditions. In this our work such calculation method is developed for calorimeters. Compared are the concentrations of SO produced in electric discharge generators as measured by calorimetric and optical methods.
The experimental study of a repetitively pulsed chemical HF laser operating on a chain reaction F2 +H2, initiated by the barrier electrical discharge with the inter-electrode gap 10 cm, with length of active medium 40 cm along optical axis has been carried out. The barrier electrical discharge with duration about 120 ns has shown a high stability, reliability and homogeneity at specific energy deposits up to 60 J / 1.
At the repetition pulses rate 10 Hz with the depleted fluorine-hydrogen mixture (20 % F2, 5 % H2), the mean laser power 500 W (a specific energy for one laser pulse E/V ≈ 11.6 J / 1, technical efficiency of 15.6 %) is achieved.
In the single pulse mode of the laser operation with the mixture 30 % F2, 12 % H2 the maximum pulse energy Emax = 100 J, the specific radiation energy E/V = 24 J / 1, the technical efficiency &hookn;tech = 28.4 % are obtained.
We have carried out both numerical and experimental studies of amplification of a short pulse of HF non-chain laser by a chain reaction amplifier. A small aperture laser was used as the master oscillator and a large aperture (100 cm2) one was used as an amplifier. Both lasers were discharge initiated. Output pulse shape and energy have been studied as a function of discharge triggering delay and gas mixture composition. Obtained results show that, in spite of the known differences of both spectral and temporal characteristics of non-chain and chain lasers, it is possible to create a high power HF MOPA system with pulse duration less than 100 ns, technical efficiency above 10% and energy close to the one of the amplifier in free lasing mode.
A few years ago, it has been demonstrated that the use of hydrocarbons such as C2H4 or C6H12 as hydrogen donor allows realizing high-volume discharges in SF6 based non-chain HF/DF gas mixture. Although high energy, short pulses and high repetition rates have been obtained, for some uses the specific output energy, the efficiency and, to a less extent, the optical quality of all these lasers remain insufficient. IT appears now that the only way to increase these values is to use chain reaction. But chain reaction is known to be delicate to control, especially when working at high repetition rate. This paper will describe recent work directed towards a better understanding of the discharge mechanisms and an increase of the efficiency and of the specific output energy of HF/DF pulsed lasers using chain reaction in discharge initiated repetitive and non-repetitive experiments. High volume discharge cells compatible with repetition rate have been realized. Discharge initiated repetitive chain reaction ash been studied up to 10Hz with large gap. Efficiencies as high as 70% have been obtained in single pulse experiments. Computer modeling allows now predicting satisfactorily the performances of discharge-initiated chain reaction HF/DF lasers as a function of electric circuit characteristics and gas composition.
The efficient repetitively pulsed (10 Hz) HF chemical laser initiated by barrier electric discharge with electrode gap 10 cm was realised. In mono-pulse mode specific output energy 3 and 23 J/l, technical efficiency (η) 3.4 and 26%, for non-chain and chain process, correspondingly, were obtained. In the repetitively pulsed (RP) mode of the laser operation at 10 Hz on the depleted fluorine-hydrogen mixture (20% F2, 5% H2) the mean laser power of 43 W was obtained (specific output energy E/V ~ 10 J/l, η=11.3%). The computational prediction for laser operation in repetitively pulsed mode at active length of about 0.5 m has shown the possibility of achievement of the specific laser energy about 15 J/l and technical efficiency up to 20%. Output laser specific energy ~ 14 J/l under RPCL conditions at length of active medium 0.37 m in mono-pulse mode was obtained in a good agreement with numerical prediction.
A few years ago, it has been demonstrated that the use of hydrocarbons such as C2H4 or C6H12 as hydrogen donor allows realizing high-volume discharges in SF6 based non-chain HF/DF gas mixture. However, for some uses, the specific output energy, the efficiency and, to a less extent, the optical quality of all these lasers remain insufficient. It appears now that the only way to increase these values is to use chain reaction. But chain reaction is known to be delicate to control, especially when working at high repetition rate. This paper will describe recent work directed towards a better understanding of the discharge mechanisms and an increase of the efficiency and of the specific output energy of HF/DF pulsed lasers by using chain reaction in discharge initiated repetitive and non-repetitive experiments. High volume discharge cells compatible with repetition rate have been realized. Discharge initiated repetitive chain reaction has been studied up to 10Hz with large gap. Efficiencies as high as 70% have been obtained in single pulse experiments. Computer modeling allows now predicting satisfactorily the performances of discharge-initiated chain reaction HF/DF lasers as a function of electric circuit characteristics and gas composition.
KEYWORDS: Electrons, Gas lasers, Solid state lasers, Switches, Capacitors, Solid state electronics, Electrodes, Solid state physics, High power lasers, Dielectrics
The phototriggering has been proposed many years ago as a way to improve the reliability of excimer lasers. It is now a mature technique that is used in conjunction with the most recent solid-state devices to make an industrial high average power excimer laser. After a brief historical introduction we here analyze the main features and scientific aspects of this discharge technique and give very recent results.
Recently, some noticeable effort as been realized in order to improve characteristics of HF/DF pulsed lasers. A few years ago it was supposed that the realization of a high energy HF/DF pulsed laser was only possible by using E-beam excitation, either for a non chain HF/DF gas mixture, or for a chain reaction mixture i.e. H2/F2 mixture. Flash lamp initiation of a high-energy chain reaction HF/DF laser was also demonstrated. However every one who wanted to make such a laser working repetitively was convinced of the difficulty of operating an E-beam system or high energy flash for large volume due to the strong electronegative character of the used gases. First attempts to realize large volume discharges have shown that this last idea was not true and that it was relatively easy to obtain homogeneous discharges in SF6 based mixture when the hydrogen donor was a hydrocarbon such as C2H4 or C6H12. This paper will present recent developments directed towards a better understanding of the discharge mechanisms and to an increase of the efficiency and of the specific output energy of HF/DF pulsed lasers by using chain reaction in discharge initiated repetitive and non-repetitive experiments.
Dynamics of development of single hot spot discharge in SF6 gas and in the mixture SF6/C2H6 and of its contraction has been studied experimentally. Visualization of discharge development has been performed by a fast shutter CCD camera. Discharge properties have been studied in a wide range of current densities and input energies. It has been found that a single hot spot discharge has a cup- like structure. The diameter of the cathode hot spot is 0.04 cm, while the diameter of the plasma near the anode reach a value of about 3 cm. An increase of the discharge current causes an enlargement of the discharge cross section. The hypothesis of discharge widening is presented and discussed. It has been shown that discharges in the mixture are more homogeneous and stable. Single hot spot allows to realize a discharge current of 2 - 3 kA at input energies of about 1 - 3 J without distortion of discharge homogeneity. When the discharge with three hot spots separated by 5 mm has been investigated, the formation of inhomogeneity from one hot spot occurs at 700 A. Development of a channel with enhanced conductivity from single hot spot in SF6 gas has been also obtained experimentally in case with advanced preionization.
Results of the investigation of the discharge parameters, active medium homogeneity and stability, and laser performance are reported for a 2.5x2.5x50 cm3 HF phototriggered laser working either in chain and non-chain mode. Using a Ne/F2/H2/O2=93/5/1.5/0.5 mixture, a specific output laser energy of 9 J/l was obtained with an electrical efficiency of 38%. Compared to the performance ofnon-chain reaction HF lasers, these data correspond to an increase ofthe efficiency by a factor of 8. However, due to the development of discharge instabilities the output laser energy is not higher than that obtained with the non-chain laser mixtures.
KEYWORDS: Optical pumping, Laser energy, Hydrogen fluoride lasers, Plasma, Energy efficiency, Diodes, Chemical lasers, Electron beams, Ions, Gas lasers
The results of experimental and theoretical investigations on a pulsed, chemical e-beam pumped, non-chain HF laser with a 25 I active volume are submitted. It is shown that there are conditions of anomalous behavior of the output radiation which could be explained by the existence of a space-charge effect in the plasma.
A large volume, self-sustained discharge, non-chain reaction, HF/DF laser has been built and tested. It was successfully operated at 12 Hz repetition rate and 20 J per pulse output energy in accordance with numerical model.
A large volume, self-sustained discharge, non-chain reaction, HF/DF laser has been built and tested. It was successfully operated at 12 Hz repetition rate and 20 J per pulse output energy (HF) in accordance with numerical model.
Conditions allowing a controlled phototriggered operating mode of a 6 cm gap HF/DF laser have been studied. A detailed investigation of the discharge quality and laser performance have been performed through the extensive use of intensified gated CCD camera recordings correlated to the measurements of current and voltage waveforms, and output laser energy.
High average power phototriggered XeCl lasers have been built. The conditions for high repetition rate operation have been studied. An average power of 1200 W for XeCl and 460 W for DF has been obtained. Intrinsic efficiencies were close or higher than 5%.
The results of the experimental investigations of the discharge in Ne/SF6/CH4 and Ne/SF6 mixtures are presented. It has been found, that the discharge has a tendency to expand over the total electrode area. The discharge current shape remains aperiodic at the different initial conditions. The experiments have detected an interesting effect. The discharge current changes the polarity at the remaining positive discharge voltage. The possible explanation of this fact is given. The stages of the development of the inhomogeneities in Ne/SF6 mixtures are described. The influence of the total pressure of the mixture has been studied.
A 500 W, corona photo triggered XeCl laser has been upgraded up to 1100 W by increasing its input energy. Discharge efficiency in excess of 4% has been demonstrated. The maximum average power was obtained at 440 Hz repetition rate.
Two prototypes of a compact high average power XeCl industrial laser have been built and tested. They use the fast photo triggering principle with a 400 ns voltage rise time and a fast corona preionizer. This voltage rise time is short enough to eliminate self-breakdown and sufficiently long to strongly reduce the electrical stresses on the main thyratron. The design includes in the same stainless steel cylindrical vessel the complete gas circulation system, the discharge and the complete high current and high voltage circuitry. The overall volume, including gas bottles, vacuum pump, blowers motors and high voltage supplies, is less than 4 m3. Due to the special geometry of the discharge current loop, a very uniform field is achieved between the electrodes and along the insulators surfaces while keeping the inductance very low. This allows a good beam quality and a very good efficiency even at high repetition rate. Energy output and efficiency have been studied as a function of charging voltage, repetition rate frequency and preionization timing. Five hundred Hz continuous operation has been successfully tested on the first prototype while the second one has ben operated above at 400 Hz in burst mode. An intrinsic efficiency greater than 4% and an overall efficiency greater than 3% (blowers excluded) have been demonstrated.
We have developed high repetition rate, high average power excimer lasers intended for industrial applications. They operate in the phototriggered mode and have a compact design. The first prototype has been proven to operate continuously up to 700 Hz and delivers more than 500 W average power. A second prototype is intended to work at the same repetition rate. It delivers up to 2 J output energy at low repetition rate.
A wide area x-ray generator working at relatively low pulsed voltage was carried out in order to preionize an HF laser discharge. This x-ray source is based on the use of a corona plasma cathode. With this device, preionization densities of about 108/cm3 in 1 bar argon and of approximately 107/cm3 in the 110 Torr laser mixture were obtained for a 30 ns FWHM x-ray pulse duration (corresponding to approximately 4 J of input energy). The operating characteristics of this corona x-ray generator are presented, as are the preliminary results on the x-ray preionization of the HF chemical laser.
We have developed a high repetition rate, high average power excimer laser intended for industrial applications. The system operates in the phototriggered mode and is capable of continuous operation at repetition rates up to 700 Hz. A compact closed loop gas recirculation system, driven by two centrifugal blowers is employed, providing gas flow velocities up to 35 m/s. The laser delivers a maximum average output power of more than 500 W at 308 nm wavelength.
An X-ray photoswitched XeC1 laser is described with an emphasis on
the physical processes with determine its behaviour. A short pulse
duration, 5 ns, has been used to phototrigger a 50 cm3 active volume
laser head. To gain insight into the avalanche processes, the breakdown
delay times have been measured and compared to the theoretical
values obtained from a code assuming a local field approximation. A
specific laser energy higher than 6 J/L with an effiency of 2 % is
reported. The duration of the laser pulse is 30 ns leading to a specific
extracted power higher than 200 MW/L.
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