<title>High pulse-repetition rate metal and metal halide vapor lasers</title>

Abstract

In the paper, we show the present state of the art of high pulse repetition frequency (PRF) metal vapor lasers (MVL's) and metal halide vapor lasers (MHVL's) development. We also analyze underlying physical features, which limit optimum and maximum PRF of the above lasers and mention the results of the experimental study of high PRF CuBr and PbBr2 vapor lasers. By use of a powerful tasitron as a switch and a small hydrogen additive to the buffer gas Ne we obtained the output power of a practical use with PRY more than 200 kHz. Given PRF 250 kHz and a laser tube of diameter 2.5 cm and length 76 cm, we have got the output power 1.5 W. For PRF 200 kHz and 100 kHz, the output power 3 W and 10.5 W has been got respectively without gas flow across the discharge tube. Experimental and numerical modelling data evidence that the small H2 (or Cs) additives improve the frequency and output features ofMVL's and MHVL's.

Comparison of CuBr-laser frequency operation modes

“…It could form the voltage pulses with an amplitude up to 10 kV and the discharge current up to 400A when changing the operation capacity (C p ) from 1.1 to 9.4 nF. The power supply provided the specific excitation energies (E p ) in the active medium from 2 to 12 mJ/cm 3 . As switches the thyratrons TGI1-1000/25 were used the laser has been in operation at the generation pulse repetition rate from 5 to 100 Hz.…”

“…In the CuBr-laser high specific powers of 1.4 W/cm 3 and mean generation powers of 120 W are realized [4,5]. These parameters were obtained in the pulsedperiodic mode at frequencies of 15-25 kHz in gas-discharge tubes (GDT) with small and large volumes, respectively.…”

“…In this case a considerable body of work has been carried out on the study of the frequency-energy characteristics of CuBr-lasers in the pulse-periodic mode and in the double pulse mode [1][2][3].However, so far a comparative analysis has not been made of output characteristics of one GDT of CuBr-laser, operating at low frequencies (double pulse mode) and at high frequencies (pulse-periodic mode).…”

“…The pulsed metal halide vapor lasers (MHVLs) are remarkable because they are capable to operate in a wide frequency range from units of hertz up to hundreds of kilohertz [1][2][3]. In practice, when solving the specific problems with the use of these lasers, the most general demands can be placed upon these lasers, including the pulse repetition frequency.…”

“…In this case the optimum specific power of dissociation for these frequency regimes was equal to 12 mJ/cm 3 , and the specific energy of excitation was 2-6 mJ/cm 3 . In the pulse-periodic regime the specific pumping power with the frequency increase up to 100 kHz decreased from 3.5 to 0.11mJ/cm 3 , and the specific generation energy decreased from 7 to 0.19 µJ/cm 3 . It should be noted that the CuBr-laser energy characteristics were obtained without special optimization of parameters of excitation pulses that is necessary for further increase of power.…”