Nuclear pumped laser research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Using a partially nuclear excited xenon flashlamp to pump an iodine laser, laser pulse shapes were analyzed with and without nuclear flashlamp augmentation. The pulse shapes indicate that the deposition of nuclear energy is equally as effective as electrical energy deposition in producing laser pulse energy output. The amplification of the E-beam pumped CF3I was measured at pressures of several atmospheres. Preliminary data shows that, for a part of the iodine laser pulse, amplification of almost a factor of two is measured. This measurement indicates that the gain in an E-beam pumped CF3I is an order of magnitude greater than in the coaxial laser tube.