Laser high-power

NOVA laser High-power laser buUt at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA) in 1984 which conducted advanced inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments... 

Optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) has recently emerged as a powerful surface probe [95, 96]. Second harmonic generation has long been used to produce frequency doublers from noncentrosymmetric crystals. As a surface probe, SHG can be caused by the break in symmetry at the interface between two centrosymmetric media. A high-powered pulsed laser is focused at an angle of incidence from 30 to 70° onto the sample at a power density of 10 to 10 W/cm. The harmonic is observed in reflection or transmission at twice the incident frequency with a photomultiplier tube. 

SHG Optical second-harmonic generation [95, 96] A high-powered pulsed laser generates frequency-doubled response due to the asymmetry of the interface Adsorption and surface coverage rapid surface changes... 

The fluorescence signal is linearly proportional to the fraction/of molecules excited. The absorption rate and the stimulated emission rate 1 2 are proportional to the laser power. In the limit of low laser power,/is proportional to the laser power, while this is no longer true at high powers 1 2 <42 j). Care must thus be taken in a laser fluorescence experiment to be sure that one is operating in the linear regime, or that proper account of saturation effects is taken, since transitions with different strengdis reach saturation at different laser powers. 

Four-level lasers offer a distinct advantage over tlieir tliree-level counterjiarts, (figure C2.15.5). The Nd YAG system is an excellent example of a four-level laser. Here tlie tenninal level for tlie laser transition, 2), is unoccupied tlius resulting in an inverted state as soon as any atom is pumped to state 3. Solid-state systems based on tliis pumping geometry dominate tlie marketplace for high-power laser devices. 

The CO2 laser is a near-infrared gas laser capable of very high power and with an efficiency of about 20 per cent. CO2 has three normal modes of vibration Vj, the symmetric stretch, V2, the bending vibration, and V3, the antisymmetric stretch, with symmetry species (t+, ti , and (7+, and fundamental vibration wavenumbers of 1354, 673, and 2396 cm, respectively. Figure 9.16 shows some of the vibrational levels, the numbering of which is explained in footnote 4 of Chapter 4 (page 93), which are involved in the laser action. This occurs principally in the 3q22 transition, at about 10.6 pm, but may also be induced in the 3oli transition, at about 9.6 pm. 

The phenomenon of multiphoton dissociation finds a possible application in the separation of isotopes. For this purpose it is not only the high power of the laser that is important but the fact that it is highly monochromatic. This latter property makes it possible, in favourable circumstances, for the laser radiation to be absorbed selectively by a single isotopic molecular species. This species is then selectively dissociated resulting in isotopic enrichment both in the dissociation products and in the undissociated material. 

Fluorine reacts with ammonia in the presence of ammonium acid fluoride to give nitrogen trifluoride, NF. This compound can be used as a fluorine source in the high power hydrogen fluoride—deuterium fluoride (HF/DF) chemical lasers and in the production of microelectronic siUcon-based components. 

Siagle-mode operation is usually achieved at the expense of output power. Very-high-power lasers are usually not available as siagle-mode lasers, and an iacrease of power is usually accompanied by an iacrease ia the spectral linewidth. 

The transversely excited atmospheric-pressure (TEA) laser, inherently a pulsed device rather than a continuous laser, is another common variety of carbon dioxide laser (33,34). Carbon dioxide—TEA lasers are an important class of high-power pulsed lasers. Pulse durations are in the submicrosecond regime peak powers exceed 10 MW. 

Free-Electron Lasers. The free-electron laser (EEL) directly converts the kinetic energy of a relativistic electron beam into light (45,46). Relativistic electron beams have velocities that approach the speed of light. The active medium is a beam of free electrons. The EEL, a specialized device having probably limited appHcations, is a novel type of laser with high tunabiHty and potentially high power and efficiency. 

The beam from a laser can inflict damage on various parts of the human body. In addition, there are other ha2ards associated with the use of lasers. Therefore, a weU-conceived and well-organised safety program is required for the use of lasers, particularly those of high power. 

High power lasers also can cause serious skin bums (53,54). The ha2ard is less than that of retinal bums, because the power per unit area is not increased by focusing, but the high power lasers in use for industrial appHcations could inflict extremely serious skin bums. 

Laser removal of tattoos and of colored birthmarks has been widely studied. A high power pulsed laser at a wavelength absorbed by the pigment is used to vaporize the pigment and to bleach the colored area. Ruby, Nd YAG, and dye lasers are favored for this purpose. 

This reaction has been carried out with a carbon dioxide laser line tuned to the wavelength of 10.61 p.m, which corresponds to the spacing of the lowest few states of the SF ladder. The laser is a high power TEA laser with pulse duration around 100 ns, so that there is no time for energy transfer by coUisions. This example shows the potential for breakup of individual molecules by a tuned laser. As with other laser chemistry, there is interest in driving the dissociation reaction in selected directions, to produce breakup in specific controllable reaction channels. 

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