CFD assisted simulation of temperature distribution and laser power in pulsed and CW pumped static gas DPALs

Karol Waichman; Boris D. Barmashenko; Salman Rosenwaks

doi:10.1117/12.2193879

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13 October 2015 CFD assisted simulation of temperature distribution and laser power in pulsed and CW pumped static gas DPALs

Karol Waichman, Boris D. Barmashenko, Salman Rosenwaks

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Proceedings Volume 9650, Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XII; and High-Power Lasers 2015: Technology and Systems; 96500C (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2193879
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2015, Toulouse, France

Abstract

An analysis of radiation, kinetic and fluid dynamic processes in diode pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) is reported. The analysis is based on a three-dimensional, time-dependent computational fluid dynamics (3D CFD) model. The CFD code which solves the gas conservation equations includes effects of natural convection and temperature diffusion of the species in the DPAL mixture. The gas flow conservation equations are coupled to the equations for DPAL kinetics and to the Beer-Lambert equations for pump and laser beams propagation. The DPAL kinetic processes in the Cs/CH4 (K/He) gas mixtures considered involve the three low energy levels, (1) n²S_1/2, (2) n²P_3/2 and (3) n²P_1/2 (where n=4,6 for K and Cs, respectively), three excited alkali states and two alkali ionic states. Using the CFD model, the gas flow pattern and spatial distributions of the pump and laser intensities in the resonator were calculated for end-pumped CW and pulsed Cs and K DPALs. The DPAL power and medium temperature were calculated as a function of pump power and pump pulse duration. The CFD model results were compared to experimental results of Cs and K DPALs.

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Karol Waichman, Boris D. Barmashenko, and Salman Rosenwaks "CFD assisted simulation of temperature distribution and laser power in pulsed and CW pumped static gas DPALs", Proc. SPIE 9650, Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XII; and High-Power Lasers 2015: Technology and Systems, 96500C (13 October 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2193879

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