Successive composition of two laser channels upon excitation of He–Ar–Xe (2.03 μm) and Ar–Xe (1.73 μm) mixtures by uranium fission fragments

The operation efficiency of the scheme with successive composition of two laser channels upon excitation of the active medium by uranium-235 fission fragments is studied experimentally and numerically. For the He:Ar:Xe = 380:380:1 mixture (at a pressure of 1 atm and the lasing wavelength λ = 2.03 μm) the maximum lasing power of a double channel (1 kW) is almost twice that of a single channel (540 W). Calculations show that in the case of ideal composition (without losses on mirrors) the lasing power of the double channel can be increased to 1.2 kW. For the Ar:Xe = 380:1 mixture (the pressure is 0.5 atm, λ = 1.73 μm) the maximum lasing power of the double channel (620 W) is slightly above that of the single channel (520 W), which is caused by the losses on aluminum mirrors employed for channel doubling and by a negative effect of optical inhomogeneities. In the case of ideal composition, the lasing power can be increased to 830 W.