CO chemical laser from ketene gas

• US 3,864,646 A
• Filed: 06/22/1973
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David C. Phillips, Nathan T. Melamed
• Original Assignee: David C. Phillips, Nathan T. Melamed
• Inventors: Phillips, David C., Melamed, Nathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Webster, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/372,723
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 331/94.5 330/4.3
• US Class Current: 372/89
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/095 using chemical or thermal pumping

Abstract

A CO chemical laser, capable of producing stimulated laser emission having a wavelength between about 4.7 and about 5.9 microns, contains an enclosed optical resonant laser cavity containing CH2CO gas and means for supplying excitation energy to the CH2CO gas to form an active laser medium comprising vibrationally excited CO molecules.

Claims

1. A CO CHEMICAL LASER, CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STIMULATED LASER EMISSION, COMPRISING:

A. AN ENCLOSURE;

B. A GAS COMPRISING THE KETENE CH2CO;

C. MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID GAS INTO THE ENCLOSURE;

D. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING EXCITATION ENERGY TO THE GAS COMPRISING THE KETENE CH2CO, TO FORM AN ACTIVE LASER MEDIUM COMPRISING VIBRATIONALLY EXCITED CO GAS BY DECOMPOSITION OF THE KETENE CH2CO;

E. MEANS FOR STIMULATING THE EMISSION OF RADIATION FROM SAID ACTIVE LASER MEDIUM.

2. The CO chemical laser of claim 1 wherein the gas introduced into the enclosure also includes at least one other gas, acting as an inert buffer gas, selected from the group consisting of SF6, He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe.

3. The CO chemical laser of claim 1 means for stimulating comprises Q-switching means.

4. The CO chemical laser of claim 2 containing means for exhausting the gases from the enclosure, wherein the partial pressure of the ketene CH2CO gas within the enclosure is between about 0.1 to about 760 Torr, and the temperature in the laser cavity is between about 150*K to about 400*K.

5. The CO chemical laser of claim 4 wherein the gas introduced into the enclosure also includes at least one electronegative gas selected from the group consisting of O2 and SO2 up to about 4 Torr.

6. The CO chemical laser of claim 4, wherein said means for stimulating comprises an optical resonant cavity, the excitation energY is supplied to the gas by an electric discharge across the gas, and the gas flows axially through the enclosure.

7. The CO chemical laser of claim 5, wherein the gas introduced into the enclosure consists essentially of about 2 to about 5 Torr the ketene CH2CO, about 0.2 to about 1 Torr electronegative gas selected from the group consisting of 02 and SO2 and mixtures thereof and about 20 to about 100 Torr of inert buffer gas selected from the group consisting of SF6, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe and mixtures thereof.

8. The CO chemical laser of claim 6 also containing means to recirculate CO gas into the enclosure.

9. A CO chemical laser, capable of producing stimulated laser emission, comprising:

a. an enclosed optical resonant cavity;

b. a gas comprising the ketene Ch2CO in said cavity; and

c. means for supplying energy to the gas comprising the ketene CH2CO, to decompose CH2CO and form an active laser medium comprising vibrationally excited CO gas.

10. The CO chemical laser of claim 9 wherein the gas in the optical resonant cavity also includes at least one other gas, acting as an inert buffer gas, selected from the group consisting of SF6, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, and the optical resonant cavity is formed between reflective means, and the excitation energy is supplied to the gas by an electric discharge across the gas.