Abstract

The dissociation of I<sub>2</sub> molecules at the optical axis of a supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) was studied experimentally as a function of I<sub>2</sub> flow rate. The measurements revealed that the number of consumed O<sub>2</sub>(<sup>1</sup>&Dgr;) molecules per dissociated I<sub>2</sub> molecule depends on the experimental conditions: it is 4.2 ± 0.4 for typical conditions and I<sub>2</sub> densities applied for the operation of the COIL, but increases at lower I<sub>2</sub> densities. In addition, a new method for dissociating I<sub>2</sub> prior to its mixing with O<sub>2</sub>(<sup>1</sup>&Dgr;) and thus reducing the loss of O<sub>2</sub>(<sup>1</sup>&Dgr;) is reported. The method is based on applying corona/glow electrical discharge in the transonic section of the secondary flow in the COIL supersonic nozzle. 1.7% of I<sub>2</sub> is dissociated by the discharge resulting in 70% power enhancement at rather high I<sub>2</sub>/O<sub>2</sub> ratio, 1.6%, close to the optimal value (~ 2.5%) for operation of COILs with supersonic mixing.

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