Systematic diagnostics of a chemical oxygen-iodine laser device

Abstract

There are two kinds of diagnostics for chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) system, laser device diagnostics and laser beam diagnostics. In this paper, we only discussed systematically the former. We divide them into several diagnostic subsystems such a flow diagnostic, oxygen-iodine flow mixing diagnostic, gain medium diagnostic and resonator diagnostic. In flow diagnostic, we selected some independent and easy-measured physical variables such as temperatures, pressures, flow rates and concentration of compositions to control and measure. From these diagnostics, we can obtain most of knowledge about performance evaluation parameters of COIL device system and subsystems. In oxygen-iodine flow mixing diagnostic, we indicated the mixing status by laser induced fluorescence. In gain medium diagnostic, we showed the spatial distribution of medium's small signal gain by a special device and measured the index of refraction gradients through the flow fields of chemical laser by an interferometer. And in resonator diagnostic, we are concerned about the nonuniformity of medium and the mirror deformation in resonator. During the experiment, the performance of COIL and all these diagnostics should be controlled by a computer, so we can get an immediate and comprehensive information about COIL. From these information, we can understand and then optimize the performance of the laser device.