Scalable and stable, CW photolytic atomic iodine laser

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel, said laser fuel system being selected from the group consisting of a non-passive closed cycle system, a closed cycle/blow-down system, and a partially open/blow-down system;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel, said laser fuel system being selected from the group consisting of a non-passive closed cycle system, a closed cycle/blow-down system, and a partially open/blow-down system;
• said laser fuel system comprising:
• an evaporator section, said evaporator section having a liquid fuel therein, said liquid fuel being made gaseous therein;
• a condenser section, said condenser section receiving spent gaseous fuel from said gain cell and converting said gaseous fuel into said liquid fuel;
• and
• means for removing undesired materials from said spent gaseous fuel and said gaseous fuel;
• a blower, said blower receiving said gaseous fuel and outputting said gaseous fuel at a given pressure and velocity, said gaseous fuel being output into a laser gain cell, said blower being a turbo-molecular blower, said blower being able to transport a heavy molecular iodine containing gas at a flow velocity from about 1 to about 40 meters per second in a pressure range of 5 to 100 torr;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation, said laser gain cell operating in the transverse mode;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation, said at least one laser gain cell operating in either a longitudinal or transverse mode, said gain cell further including flow straighteners therein, said at least one laser gain cell further including means to minimize parasitic oscillations;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam, said laser resonator operating in the unstable mode.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said ultraviolet radiation being provided by d.c. microwave excited lamps having low ripple, further said lamps being liquid cooled;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel, said continuous flow being provided by a turbo-molecular blower being able to move heavy molecular gases;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• a plurality of laser gain cells, said laser gain cells having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel, said laser fuel being C.sub.3 F.sub.7 I lasing on 1.315 microns, to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam, said resonator having therein electro-optical switches to provide a variable pulse width and a repetitive output.

A scalable and stable, cw, high power, photolytic atomic iodine laser system, said laser system comprising:

• means for providing ultraviolet radiation to a laser gas medium to produce excited atomic iodine for a lasing medium, said means for providing ultraviolet radiation comprising a plurality of RF/microwave sources and a plurality of plasma lamps connected to said RF/microwave sources for outputting ultraviolet energy, said means further including pulsed flashlamps in addition to cw lamps;
• a laser fuel system, said fuel system providing a continuous flow of a laser fuel to form said laser gas medium, said laser fuel system further cleaning undesired material from said laser fuel;
• at least one laser gain cell, said laser gain cell having said laser gas medium flowing therethrough, said laser gas medium while therein reacting with said ultraviolet radiation;
• and
• at least one laser resonator, said laser resonator connected to said at least one laser gain cell, said laser resonator outputting a laser beam.