Hydrogen fluoride overtone laser: 2D CFD modeling of the small signal gain

Abstract

The small signal gain of a small-scale HF overtone laser was measured using a sub-Doppler tunable diode laser system. The spatially resolved, two-dimensional small signal gain maps that were generated show a highly inhomogeneous gain medium indicating the dominant role played by mixing of the H 2 and F streams in HF laser performance. The measured gain data were analyzed with the aid of a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model. The results show that reactant mixing mechanisms have a large effect on the gain averaged over a vertical profile while kinetic rate mechanisms, including reaction rate constants and reactant concentration, have a greater effect on the maximum system gain.