Gas Dynamic Laser (GDL) is laser based on differences in relaxation velocities of molecular vibrational states. The laser medium gas has such properties that an energetically lower vibrational state relaxes faster than a higher vibrational state, thus a population inversion is achieved in a particular time. Pure Gas dynamic lasers usually use a combustion chamber, supersonic expansion nozzle and CO2 as an active laser medium in mixture with nitrogen or helium. Gas dynamic laser could be however pumped not only by combustion, but by any adiabatic expansion of gas. Any hot and compressed gas with appropriate vibrational structure could be utilized. Explosively pumped gas dynamic laser is a version of gas dynamic laser pumped by expansion of explosion products. Hexanitrobenzene and/or tetranitromethane with metal powder is preferred explosive. This device could have very high pulse peak power output applicable in laser weapons.
1. Hot compressed gas is generated.
Proposed laser rifle design STAVATTI[1] also uses gas dynamic laser principle. Almost any chemical laser uses gas-dynamic processes to increase its efficiency. High energy efficiency (as high as 30%) and very high power output makes GDL perspective for some (especially military) applications. See also * Gas laser
* Laser History - Gasdynamic[2] Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/" |
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