Compact Infrared Grating Laser

A THEORETICAL PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE A COMPACT, LOW-VOLTAGE INFRARED GRATING LASER WITH MULTI-KILOWATT OUPUT CAPABILITY. THE RADIATION IS GENERATED BY THE PASSAGE OF AN ANNULAR BEAM OF ELECTRONS THROUGH A COAXIAL PAIR OF CONDUCTORS, THE INNER CONDUCTOR BEING A CORRUGATED CYLINDER WHICH FORMS THE GRATING. THE ELECTRON BEAM IS GUIDED BY AN AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE OPTICAL RESONATOR AND OF THE ELECTRON BEAM ARE LARGER THAN THE OPERATING WAVELENGTH, THUS PERMITTING HIGH POWER OPERATION. THREE ISSUES WILL BE ADDRESSED BY THIS PROPOSAL. FIRST, THE QUALITY OF THE ELECTRON BEAM REQUIRED TO GENERATE INFRARED RADIATION. SECOND, THE DESIGN OF A LOW-LOSS, FREQUENCY- SELECTIVE GRATING BASED INFRARED RESONATOR. FINALLY, THE EFFECT OF MODE COMPETITION IN THE MULTIWAVE SYSTEM ON THE EFFICIENCY AND OUTPUT MODE PURITY.