Efficiency of using nitrogen trifluoride as an oxidiser in a supersonic continuous-wave chemical HF laser

Abstract

We report the results of an experimental study of possible ways to increase the efficiency of using NF3 nitrogen trifluoride as an oxidiser in an atomic fluorine generator of a supersonic continuous-wave chemical HF laser with a flat nozzle block corresponding to the nozzle – nozzle reagent mixing scheme. As such ways, we consider increasing the residence time of reagents in the combustion chamber and rising temperature in the chemical reaction zone. Comparison of specific energy characteristics of an HF laser operating with the use of the studied (NF3) and ‘basic’ (F2) oxidisers shows that the replacement of molecular fluorine with nitrogen trifluoride during the burning with deuterium in the combustion chamber of an atomic fluorine generator with allowance for the proposed measures leads to a reduction in the specific laser energy output by no more than 23 % – 24 % at high burning completeness.