Continuous-wave laser has been proposed based on reaction of hydrogen and fluorine. Hydrogen is produced by dissociation of hydrazine, which can be stored as liquid in light containers at room temperature

Moynihan, P. I.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

August 1975	 B75-10183 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Pasadena Office	 4r 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
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High-Power CW Laser Using Hydrogen-Fluorine Reaction 
,jo
The problem: 
The very exothermic reaction between hydrogen 
and fluorine has been studied for application in 
high-power, continuous-wave (CW) lasers. Unfortu-
nately, the lasers based on this reaction are not readily 
portable. Heavy equipment and large tanks are 
necessary to store compressed hydrogen and fluorine 
gases. There is no net advantage when the gases are 
stored as liquids because additional cryogenic 
components are needed. 
The solution: 
A newly proposed approach is to use hydrazine and 
fluorine. Hydrazine is stored as a liquid in light 
containers at room temperature and provides the 
hydrogen necessary for the reaction.
How it's done: 
In the presence of a catalyst, hydrazine dissociates 
exothermally from its original chemical state of N21 ­14 
into nitrogen, hydrogen, and ammonia. The ammo-
nia, in the presence of heat, further breaks down into 
nitrogen and hydrogen. Hence, in one chemical 
formulation, hydrazine presents the convenience of 
storage as well as the availability of the reactant 
hydrogen and the diluent nitrogen. Further investiga-
tions of fluorine carriers have shown that there are 
other fluorine compounds, such as nitrogen tetra-
fluoride (N 2F4), that are easier to store and handle 
than fluorine gas and yet do not introduce any new 
elements into the final reactions. 
Nitrogen and 
Hydrogen Generator 
Hydrazine (N2H4)
Fuel and 
Oxidizer 
Manifold
Mirror 
Fluorine Nozzle 
	
Monatomic	 zz17
	 Internal 	 Grid rid
 
Mirror
	
	 Cavity 
Flow 
Laser 
	
Beam	
To Diffuser 
Schematic Diagram of Proposed CW Laser
(continued overleaf) 
	
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The proposed system is shown in the illustration. 
Hydrazine is decomposed catalytically and is injected 
into a combustor. The resulting hot gases are so 
distributed that a small quantity is introduced into a 
fluorine-rich combustion plenum (not shown) to cause 
the formation of monatomic fluorine by the thermal 
dissociation of diatomic fluorine. The remainder of 
the decomposed hydrazine is introduced through a 
separate plenum/nozzle assembly where it is accelera-
ted through the nozzle prior to being combined 
downstream with the newly-generated monatomic 
fluorine, which is also accelerated through a nozzle 
prior to final burning. The reaction of hydrogen and 
monatomic fluorine produces the excited hydrogen-
fluoride molecules required for a conventional 
hydrogen-fluorine CW laser. 
Deuterium can be substituted for 'hydrogen in the 
hydrazine formulation to form heavy hydrazine. 
Conventional hydrazine could still be introduced into 
the fluorine-rich combustion plenum' to generate 
monatomic fluorine. The heavy hydrazine, however, 
would be decomposed through a second gas generator 
and would be introduced through a separate 
U.S. Coverrnoent Printing Office; 1975-637.467 Regioo, No. 3-I1
plenum/nozzle assembly. The reaction of the 
deuterium would occur with the monatomic fluorine 
to form excited deuterium-fluoride molecules. This 
reaction is even more desirable because the wave-
length generated is less affected by atmospheric water 
vapor. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
NASA Pasadena Office 
4800 Oak Grove Drive 
Pasadena, California 91103 
Reference: TSP75-10183 
Patent status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 
Source: Philip I. Moynihan of 
Caltech/JPL 
(NPO-13623)
U-A 
0 
B75-10183	
Categories: 03 (Physical sciences) 
04 (Materials)
	 -04


High-power CW laser using hydrogen-fluorine reaction

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