Lasers developed in the Institute of Atmospheric Optics of the SB RAS (a review)

Abstract

The results of research on the development of the first electric discharge lasers on active media N2, CO2, Cu, CuBr and excimer molecules at the Institute of Atmospheric Optics named after V. E. Zueva SB RAS are given. It created one of the world's first Cu-lasers with a pulse production of copper vapors due to the explosion of conductors and a transverse excitation discharge. For a copper laser, record specific generation parameters were obtained almost equal to the limit: radiation energy 2.4 J/l, peak power 120 MW/l with an efficiency of 0.16 %. For the CuBr laser operating in frequency mode, for the first time, an average radiation power of more than 100 W was obtained. In the dual pulse excitation mode, conditions were found that limit the growth of the efficiency of the CuBr laser. For him, a record efficiency of 2.7 % was obtained. For the first time, a nitrogen laser was developed with a maximum efficiency of 0.27 % with an energy of 0.8 mJ, a peak power of 160 kW. For the first time, a miniature XeCl laser with a longitudinal excitation discharge was developed, which worked both with and without buffer gases He, Ne and Ar.