Investigation of the optical quality of gas flows formed by screen nozzles
Abstract
A Talbot interferometer is used to measure wavefront distortion (WD) in gas flows with properties and chemical composition similar to those used in CO2 gasdynamic lasers. The effect of the distortions on the radiation divergence angle is determined. It is concluded that Talbot interferometry is a well-suited for analyzing the optical quality of gas flows formed by screen nozzles. Measurements of WD in such flows indicate that their optical properties are sensitive to the size and mixing configuration of the nozzles, the thermodynamic properties of the flow, and the properties of the flow pattern in the channel. The measured optical distortions indicate that the region of high population inversion in the active medium is almost optically uniform, and the damping of the perturbations downstream illustrates the advantages of rapidly mixing the gas jet components in the flow.
- Publication:
-
Zhurnal Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki
- Pub Date:
- October 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985ZhTFi..55.1943B
- Keywords:
-
- Gasdynamic Lasers;
- Nozzle Flow;
- Wave Front Deformation;
- Far Fields;
- Interferometers;
- Laser Applications;
- Optical Measurement;
- Shadowgraph Photography;
- Steady Flow;
- Lasers and Masers