Electra: Repetitively pulsed, 500 J, 100 ns, KrF oscillator

Abstract

Electra is a repetitively pulsed, double-sided, electron-beam pumped krypton fluoride laser. Electra has recently operated as an oscillator with an output pulse of 510 J, with 100 ns pulse duration for single shots. At a 1 Hz repetition rate for a ten-shot burst, the laser output averaged 500 J per shot. The dependence of the laser energy on the partial pressures of Kr, Ar, and F 2 were examined. Over a 10 to 30 psi total pressure range, the laser output energy decreases with decreasing argon concentration. Specifically, the laser output drops slightly as the argon concentration reduces from 60% to 40%, and then drops more noticeably as it is reduced to 0%. For the 60% Ar case, the optimal fluorine concentration is 0.25%, with a significant falloff in the laser energy from 0.25% to 0.1% and a gradual falloff from 0.25% to 0.7% fluorine. The present burst results indicate that the KrF kinetics is not very sensitive to the gas temperature at a total pressure of 20 psi.

Electra: repetitively pulsed 700 J, 100 ns electron beam pumped KrF laser

“…Both systems have been developed independently, and they will be integrated into one laser system. Until this time, the main amplifier is operated as an oscillator [5].…”

Electra: An electron beam pumped 730 J rep-rate KrF laser

“…A description of the main amplifier in oscillator mode has been described elsewhere [1][2]. We had initially configured the main amplifier as an oscillator.…”

Repetitively pulsed, high energy KrF lasers for inertial fusion energy

“…This section summarizes recent research in KrF laser development. Detailed descriptions of this work may be found in the literature [3][4][5].…”