An externally heated copper vapour laser
Abstract
A pulsed Copper Vapor Laser (CVL), with a nominal 6 kHz repetition rate, was designed, built, and commissioned at Chalk River Laboratories. The laser was required for Resonant Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (RIMS) experiments and for projects associated with Atomic Vapour Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) studies. For the laser to operate, copper coupons positioned along the length of a ceramic tube must be heated sufficiently to create an appropriate vapor pressure. The AECL CVL uses an external heater element with a unique design to raise the temperature of the tube. The cylindrical graphite heating element is shaped to compensate for the large radiation end losses of the laser tube. The use of an external heater saves the expensive high-current-voltage switching device from heating the laser tube, as in most commercial lasers. This feature is especially important given the intermittent usage typical of experimental research. As well, the heater enables better parametric control of the laser output when studying the lasing of copper (or other) vapour. This report outlines the lasing process in copper vapor, describes in detail all three major laser sub-systems: the laser body; the laser tube heater; the high voltage pulsed discharge; and, reports parametric measurements of the individual sub-systems and the laser system as a whole. Also included are normal operating procedures to heat up, run and shut down the laser.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- August 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993STIN...9436565R
- Keywords:
-
- Copper;
- Laser Outputs;
- Metal Vapor Lasers;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Heating;
- Lasing;
- Mass Spectroscopy;
- Metal Vapors;
- Lasers and Masers