Laser Beams In Atmosphere Research Articles

Thermal defocusing of intense hollow Gaussian laser beams in atmosphere

AbstractIn this paper, the authors have presented a paraxial theory for propagation of (1) Gaussian (2) dark hollow Gaussian high power laser beams in the atmosphere, considering the nonlinearity arising from the temperature variation along the wave-front. Specifically, the focusing parameter for both beams has been evaluated as a function of distance and initial beam power and width (corresponding to radiation of wavelengths 1.045 µ, 1.625 µ, and 2.141 µ in the water absorption window) for the maritime, desert, rural, and urban environments as modeled at NRL; the results have been presented in the dimensionless form. It is seen that in all four environments a dark hollow beam defocuses less than the corresponding Gaussian beam of same radius and power. It is suggested that this conclusion based on the paraxial theory be verified by numerical simulation.

Performance studies of a novel design atmospheric pressure pulsed HF/DF laser

Intense multi and single line laser operation is reported from TEA semiconductively preionised HF/DF lasers employing various discrete components or flat plate excitation circuits. The performance, the spectral and the beam characteristics of these lasers are given and are compared to the characteristics of previously described HF/DF lasers. Their improved performance parameters are explained in terms of the preionizing action of the semiconductors, the low inductance of the circuits employed and the good matching of the voltage and current waveforms of the excitation circuitry to their excitation. Finally, their potential in specific applications, like infrared vitreous surgery (HF) or atmospheric laser beam propagation (DF), is stressed.