Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Weaver, Willard R..
A comparative study of CW laser performance with n-C6F13I and n-C3F7I was performed using a 10-W solar-simulator-pumped laser system. The measured output power for n-C6F13I is near 10 W and is comparable to that of n-C3F7I. However, n-C6F13I has the advantages of easy purification and repeated use.
Perfluorobutyl iodides were studied as media for an iodine photodissociation laser amplifier, and photoabsorption cross sections were measured. The results indicate superior performance for t-C4F9I compared to that for n-C4F9I. The gain of n-C4F9I is found to be equal to that of n-C3F7I. The implications of these findings for space-based solar-pumped lasers are discussed.
Laser threshold of 100 solar constants achieved. Using two xenon-arc solar simulators, lasing achieved with pentafluoroethyl iodide, a new alkyl iodide, at laser threshold of only 100 solar constants. Solar laser had lowest threshold observed to date. Output power and energy 350 mW and 45 mJ.
The effectiveness of t-C4F9I and n-C4F9I as gain media for a space-based solar-pumped iodine photodissociation laser is investigated experimentally. The optically coupled flashlamp/amplifier-tube apparatus described by Hwang et al. (1986) is employed, driving the amplifier with 4-microsec 4.2-mJ TEM(00) pulses from a flashlamp-pumped laser oscillator; the variation of amplification with energy-extraction time was monitored by inserting a delay of up to 1 msec between the firing of the two flashlamps and measuring the delay between the optical pulses. The results are presented graphically and briefly characterized. The performance of t-C4F9I is found to be better than that of n-C4F9I (or n-C3F7I), with an absorption band shifted toward the visible (for improved utilization of solar radiation), higher gain (by a factor of 2) at all delay times, and better chemical reversibility. The gain did not depend significantly on temperature in any of the iodides.
An iodine photodissociation laser was pumped by a long Ar arc as the solar simulator to produce a 10-W CW output. Continuous lasing for 1 h was achieved with a flow of the laser material n-C3F7I. The 10-W CW output is the highest produced to date and establishes the feasibility of developing a solar-pumped laser for space power transmission.