Combustion-driven CO 2 -gas dynamic lasers: the story may be continued

Abstract

The first purpose of combustion-driven carbon-dioxide-gas- dynamic lasers (GDL) was military applications. Just these applications aimed to development of more and more powerful systems led to the appearance of more and more expensive lasers using very dangerous and poison fuels. It is very hard to satisfy simultaneously both military and economic requirements, therefore, this idea could not be realized widely and successfully. In this way the lasers had no chance to be suitable for ordinary users. New approaches at the old idea of combustion-drive carbon-dioxide-GDL allow us to open some ways to realize the lasers for education and research projects. The most inexpensive 10 - 15 kilowatt and 400 megawatt lasers are considered. Experimental results, technical and financial estimates are presented also.