Interhalogen based combustion-driven laser which provides continuous wave output lasing from dual species

Abstract

A chain reaction laser system which operates with two species lasing simultaneously is disclosed. The laser is combustion-driven and provides an output of continuous wave radiation. A fluorine interhalogen and atomic fluorine are mixed together with hydrogen to induce chemical reactions which provide two species of hydrogen halides which are vibrationally excited as well as atomic hydrogen and atomic fluorine. The latter, atomic fluorine, is then available to react with additional hydrogen in a chain reaction sequence. The various preferred reactants and two preferred structures are discussed. In a first embodiment the fluorine interhalogen and atomic fluorine which are both essential to the operation of the invention are both formed as they are needed in a reaction region at relatively high temperature and pressure. In a second embodiment one reactant is formed under conditions of relatively high temperature and pressure and the other at low temperature and pressure conditions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.