Ultraminiature high-power gas discharge lasers.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Gas Discharge Physics

Background:

• Development of compact, high-power laser systems is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Atmospheric pressure operation simplifies laser design and reduces operational complexity.
• Photopreionization stabilization is a key technique for achieving stable discharges in high-pressure gases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop millimeter-size, photopreionization-stabilized ultraviolet nitrogen lasers operating at atmospheric pressure.
• To characterize the performance of sealed-off versions of these lasers in terms of power output.
• To demonstrate the general applicability of the discharge and pulsing concepts to other laser systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilized photopreionization to stabilize electrical discharges in nitrogen gas at atmospheric pressure.
• Designed and constructed millimeter-size laser cavities.
• Developed sealed-off laser configurations to assess long-term operational stability and power output.
• Investigated transverse electric (TE) discharge and pulsing techniques.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed millimeter-size ultraviolet nitrogen lasers.
• Achieved peak powers ranging from 30-150 kW in sealed-off configurations.
• Obtained average power outputs of 1-5 mW.
• Demonstrated the versatility of the discharge and pulsing methods for other high-pressure laser types.

Conclusions:

• Millimeter-size, photopreionization-stabilized atmospheric pressure UV nitrogen lasers are feasible and offer significant power.
• Sealed-off versions provide practical, high-peak-power sources.
• The underlying discharge and pulsing technologies are broadly applicable to advanced high-pressure laser development.