Continuous-wave high specific output power Ar-He-Xe laser with transverse RF excitation

Yuri B. Udalov; Peter J. M. Peters; Mila B. Heeman-Ilieva; Wilhelmus J. Witteman; Vladimir N. Ochkin

doi:10.1117/12.176654

25 May 1994 Continuous-wave high specific output power Ar-He-Xe laser with transverse RF excitation

Yuri B. Udalov, Peter J. M. Peters, Mila B. Heeman-Ilieva, Wilhelmus J. Witteman, Vladimir N. Ochkin

Proceedings Volume 2118, Gas, Metal Vapor, and Free-Electron Lasers and Applications; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.176654
Event: OE/LASE '94, 1994, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

A transverse RF excited gas discharge has been successfully used to produce a CW Ar-He-Xe laser. A maximum output power of 330 mW has been obtained from an experimental device with 37 cm active length and a 2.25 (DOT) 2.25 cm² cross-section. This corresponds to a specific output power of about 175 mW/cm³. Under these preliminary optimum conditions the gas pressure was 85 Torr (Ar:He:Xeequals59:40:1). The laser output spectrum consisted of 5 atomic xenon lines (2.03, 2.63, 2.65, 3.37 and 3.51 micrometers ). The 2.03 micrometers and 2.65 micrometers lines were the strongest ones. Complementary to this device a quartz capillary was tested as laser tube for the atomic Xe laser. With this configuration it was possible to sustain a longitudinal DC as well as a transversal RF discharge in the laser gas mixture. Combined excitation was also possible for this device. This enabled us to compare the laser performance in both the DC and the RF mode in the same device. Preliminary measurements showed us that the highest output power in the DC mode was less than 1 mW, while the RF excited laser yielded about 130 mW. The gain coefficient was found to be extremely high. Laser generation was obtained for a wide range of reflectivities R of the outcoupling mirror. At the minimum reflectivity of 5% an output power of 20 mW was obtained. Results obtained from both systems are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Yuri B. Udalov, Peter J. M. Peters, Mila B. Heeman-Ilieva, Wilhelmus J. Witteman, and Vladimir N. Ochkin "Continuous-wave high specific output power Ar-He-Xe laser with transverse RF excitation", Proc. SPIE 2118, Gas, Metal Vapor, and Free-Electron Lasers and Applications, (25 May 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.176654

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