Advanced methods for nuclear reactor gas laser coupling

Research is described that led to the discovery of three nuclear-pumped lasers (NPLs) using mixtures of Ne--N/sub 2/, He--Hg, and He or Ne with CO or CO/sub 2/. The Ne--N/sub 2/ NPL was the first laser obtained with modest neutron fluxes from a TRIGA reactor (vs fast burst reactors used elsewhere in such work), the He--Hg NPL was the first visible nuclear-pumped laser, while the Ne--CO and He--CO/sub 2/ lasers are the first to provide energy storage on a millisecond time scale. Important potential applications of NPLs include coupling and power transmission from remote power stations such as nuclear plants in satellites and neutron-feedback operation of inertial confinement fusion plants

A gain-coefficient switched Alexandrite laser

We report on a gain-coefficient switched Alexandrite laser. An electro-optic modulator is used to switch between high and low gain states by making use of the polarization dependent gain of Alexandrite. In gain-coefficient switched mode, the laser produces 85 ns pulses with a pulse energy of 240 mJ at a repetition rate of 5 Hz.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Advanced methods for nuclear reactor gas laser coupling

Research is described that led to the discovery of three nuclear-pumped lasers (NPLs) using mixtures of Ne--N/sub 2/, He--Hg, and He or Ne with CO or CO/sub 2/. The Ne--N/sub 2/ NPL was the first laser obtained with modest neutron fluxes from a TRIGA reactor (vs fast burst reactors used elsewhere in such work), the He--Hg NPL was the first visible nuclear-pumped laser, while the Ne--CO and He--CO/sub 2/ lasers are the first to provide energy storage on a millisecond time scale. Important potential applications of NPLs include coupling and power transmission from remote power stations such as nuclear plants in satellites and neutron-feedback operation of inertial confinement fusion plants