Nuclear driven flashlamps

Abstract

Due to the low power density of pumping schemes for nuclear-pumped lasers prior to 1978, a method of utilizing the efficient production of narrow band fluorescence from excimers was developed. This method has since been referred to as a nuclear driven flashlamp. It is possible to achieve sufficient power densities, when combining the flashlamp with novel techniques of reactor/laser interfaces, to drive efficient, high power lasers directly with products from nuclear reactions.

Reactor and Laser Coupling

“…A nuclear-pumped flashlamp driven laser [2] has an energy flow as shown in The energy flow in nuclear pumping a laser with a solid-state fission source is shown. The first step begins with the neutron capture event and the efficiency of the nuclear reaction in producing energetic ions (η Neutron to ff ).…”

“…Some forms of uranium salt (uranium sulfate (U(SO 4 ) 2 ) and uranium nitrate (UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 )) can be dissolved in water to form an aqueous core reactor [2]. Uranium can also form liquids at high temperatures.…”

Comments About Nuclear-Pumped Laser Research in the United States

“…One alternate approach that could avoid the quenching limits on the UF 6 concentration uses an aerosol of fissile microspheres in a fluorescer gas, making it an attractive approach to a higher-power nuclear-pumped flashlamp [28]. Thus work at the University of Missouri addressed an aerosol reactor concept called Aerosol Reactor Energy Conversion System (ARECS), illustrated in Fig.…”

Direct Conversion of Radioisotope Energy to Electricity

“…fluorescence efficiency values ranging from a few percent to as high as 68% (see review paper by Prelas, et al [10]). The most efficient excimer fluorescers are the rare-gas excimers.…”

“…Nuclear-Driven Fluorescers are discussed in much greater detail in the paper "Nuclear-Driven Flashlamps" [10].…”