A Compact Pulsed HF Laser Based on an Auto-Wave Photon-Branched Chain Reaction

Abstract

Huge energy gain is detected theoretically in a pulsed chemical laser-amplifier based on a photon-branched chain reaction initiating in a gaseous disperse medium composed of H2–F2–O2–He and Al particles by focused external infrared radiation. It is shown that this effect is observed due to the other optical effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of the input radiation on a certain type of bicomponent optical system coupled structurally with the input mirror of an unstable telescopic laser cavity. Such a relatively simple bicomponent diffraction system, consisting of two plane screens with circular apertures on a given optical axis, enables one to focus the input beam without using classical refraction elements such as lenses and prisms. The focusing of the input signal ensures the minimization of the initially excited volume of the laser active medium and the appropriate sharp lowering of the necessary energy of the input pulse up to ∼ 10-6 J. This enables the laser system to reach a high value of the energy gain of 109. The huge laser energy gain allows us to use a master oscillator in the form of a small microjoule laser powered by an accumulator, and consequently makes it possible to construct a completely self-contained compact pulsed chemical HF-laser.