Development of compact excimer lasers for remote sensingThe capabilities of excimer lasers for remote sensing applications are illustrated in a discussion of the development of a compact tunable XeCl excimer laser for the detection of atmospheric OH radicals. Following a brief review of the operating principles and advantages of excimer lasers, measurements of the wavelength dependence of the net small signal gain coefficient of a discharge excited XeCl laser are presented which demonstrate the overlap of several absorption lines of the A-X(0,0) transition of OH near 308 nm with the wavelengths of the XeCl laser. A range of continuous narrow bandwidth tunability of from 307.6 to 308.4 nm with only a 30 percent variation in output is reported for an XeCl laser used as a double-pass amplifier for a frequency-doubled dye laser, and measurements demonstrating the detection of laser-induced fluorescence from OH in a methane-oxygen flame are also noted. The design of an oscillator-amplifier excimer system comprising a corona-preionized, transverse-discharge oscillator and amplifier is then presented. Output energies of 12-15 mJ have been achieved in the regions where injection locking was established, with energies of 8-10 mJ elsewhere.
Document ID
19830066578
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Laudenslager, J. B. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Mcdermid, I. S. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Pacala, T. J. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)