Heated electron beam cell study

In general, high power gas lasers operate with simple laser species at room temperature. High power electronic state gas lasers, however, operate only with diatomic rare gas or rare gas halide laser molecules. To increase the number of laser molecules for high power laser operation, it is necessary to raise cell temperature above room temperature. The alkali metals, Group I, become volatile, at 400-500 C. At even higher temperatures the metals in Groups IIB, IIIA, IVA, and VA have significant vapor pressures. The purpose of this work is to advance the state of the art of high temperature cell design to allow laser discovery experiments to proceed with fewer technical difficulties. The design and operation of a new valve and a new cell for high temperature, high pressure operation is reported.