Alpha high-power chemical laser program

Anthony J. Cordi; Henry Lurie; David W. Callahan; Matthew Thomson

doi:10.1117/12.145209

6 June 1993 Alpha high-power chemical laser program

Anthony J. Cordi, Henry Lurie, David W. Callahan, Matthew Thomson

Proceedings Volume 1871, Intense Laser Beams and Applications; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145209
Event: OE/LASE'93: Optics, Electro-Optics, and Laser Applications in Scienceand Engineering, 1993, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

Alpha is a megawatt-class ground demonstration of a hydrogen fluoride, continuous wave, space-based chemical laser. The laser operates in the infrared at 2.8 microns. The basic device consists of a cylindrical combustion chamber that exhausts radially outward through circumferential nozzles into an annular lasing area. An annular ring resonator is used to extract the laser energy from this area. Technical firsts include: (1) use of aluminum combustion chamber/nozzle ring modules, (2) diamond turned, water-cooled optics made of molybdenum for low thermal distortion with good heat transfer, (3) use of uncooled silicon mirrors in a megawatt-class laser system, (4) an optical bench made of aluminum honeycomb, and (5) active controls to adjust alignment of selected mirrors and the optical bench.

Citation Download Citation

Anthony J. Cordi, Henry Lurie, David W. Callahan, and Matthew Thomson "Alpha high-power chemical laser program", Proc. SPIE 1871, Intense Laser Beams and Applications, (6 June 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145209

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