Experiments and modeling have led to a continuing evolution of the Electric Oxygen-Iodine Laser (ElectricOIL) system. A new concentric discharge geometry has led to improvements in O2(a) production and efficiency and permits higher pressure operation of the discharge at high flow rate. A new heat exchanger design reduces the O2(a) loss and thereby increases the O2(a) delivered into the gain region for a negligible change in flow temperature. These changes have led to an increase in laser cavity gain from 0.26% cm^-1 to 0.30% cm^-1. New modeling with BLAZE-V shows that an iodine pre-dissociator can have a dramatic impact upon gain and laser performance. As understanding of the ElectricOIL system continues to improve, the design of the laser systematically evolves.

Date Published: 17 February 2011
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 7915, High Energy/Average Power Lasers and Intense Beam Applications V, 791502 (17 February 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.879336

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7915:
High Energy/Average Power Lasers and Intense Beam Applications V
Steven J. Davis; Michael C. Heaven; J. Thomas Schriempf, Editor(s)