MICRO-SWCL PUMPING OF HIGH-POWER SOLID STATE LASERS

MICRO-SHORT WAVELENGTH CHEMICAL LASERS (SWCLS) ARE PROPOSED FOR PUMPING SOLID STATE LASERS. SWCLS ARE ABLE TO GENERATE HIGH POWER LEVEL CW BEAMS IN THE 450 TO 550 NM SPECTRAL RANGE WHICH HAVE GOOD OPTICAL QUALITY AND ARE CAPABLE OF PUMPING SOLID STATE LASERS AT HIGH AVERAGE POWER LEVELS. MICRO-SWCLS ARE COMPACT, LIGHT WEIGHT, REQUIRE NO EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL ENERGY, HAVE HIGH EFFICIENICES, AND IN HIGH ALTITUDE OR SPACE APPLICATIONS ARE SELF-PUMPING. SEVERAL MICO-SWCLS ARE DISCUSSED WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON A BISMUTH MONOFLUORIDE CONCEPT WHICH OVERCOMES PREVIOUS CONSTRAINTS ON A BIF SWCL AND WHICH INCLUDES FEATURES FACILITATING EFFECTIVE COUPLING TO SOLID STATE LASERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING TUNEABLE SOLID STATE LASERS WITH HIGH AVERAGE POWER LEVELS. OPERABLE IN A TACTICAL ENVIRONMENT. ADDITIONALLY, MICRO-SWCL LASERS ARE DISCUSSED BASED ON NF AND ON ALKALI CLUSTER HALOGEN KINETICS. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OF COUPLING SWCLS WITH SOLID STATE LASERS ARE DISCUSSED WITH A PROGRAM FOR DESIGNING A COMPLETE SYSTEM FOR DEMONSTRATION IN PHASE II. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS - HIGH AVERAGE POWER TUNEABLE SOLID STATE LASERS USEFUL FOR WORKING, HEAT-TREATING, DRILLING AND CUTTING OF MATERIALS; MULTIPLE MEDICAL SURGERY APPLICATIONS; FUSION POWER SYSTEMS AND ISOTOPE SEPARATION; COMMUNICATION; LIDAR; POINTING, TRACKING AND PIAVIGATION; ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS; AND MICROLITHOGRAPHY.