RF plasma jet generator of singlet delta oxygen for oxygen-iodine laser

Abstract

An RF plasma jet generator of singlet delta oxygen has been developed for use in an oxygen-iodine laser. The plasma jet was produced in an Al cylindrical nozzle, having the inner diameter of 3 mm and the length of 8 mm. The discharge was done in the gas mixture O2:N2:NO=200:20:10 sccm and then it was chilled reactively by the mixture Ar:NO2=200:10 sccm, which was injected into the plasma jet at the nozzle exit. The RF frequency was 99.9 MHz and the RF power was 200 W. The O2(?1Æg) relative yield of 32 % was achieved at the pressure of 0.43 Torr. The current device DSOG-3 was tested in a discharge oxygen-iodine laser (DOlL). The reaction scheme of DOlL is the same as in COIL, except of the generator of singlet delta oxygen. The pressure inside the laser was 0.6-0.9 Torr and the mixtures O2:NO=200: 100 sccm and Ar:NO=2100: 100 sccm were used. The iodine flow rate was 0.3 mmol/min. Both types axial and transverse subsonic flow lasers were examined. The latter had better performance. The CW output power was 3 nW at the laser wavelength of 13 15 nm, when the yield of O2(?1Æg) was 25%. The RF DOlL has been demonstrated experimentally.