Mechanisms for plasma formation during high power pumping of XPAL

Natalia Yu. Babaeva; Oleg Zatsarinny; Klaus Bartschat; Mark J. Kushner

doi:10.1117/12.2044707

25 February 2014 Mechanisms for plasma formation during high power pumping of XPAL

Natalia Yu. Babaeva, Oleg Zatsarinny, Klaus Bartschat, Mark J. Kushner

Proceedings Volume 8962, High Energy/Average Power Lasers and Intense Beam Applications VII; 89620D (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044707
Event: SPIE LASE, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

During operation of the excimer pumped alkali laser, XPAL, large densities of alkali excited states are produced. Through superelastic electron collisional relaxation of these states, any pre-existing electrons will be heated, leading to additional ionization. The end result is plasma formation. A first principles global model has been developed for the Ar/Cs XPAL system to investigate the possible formation of plasma during high repetition rate, high power pumping; and the consequences on laser performance. Four- and five-level pumping schemes were used to enable assessment of XPAL operating on the Cs(6²P_3/2) → Cs(6²S_1/2) (852 nm) and Cs(6²P_1/2) → Cs(6²S_1/2) (894 nm) transitions. The model was parameterized as a function of pump power, excitation frequency, cell temperature (Cs vapor pressure) and collision mixing agent (N₂) mole fraction. We found that at sufficiently high operating temperature, pump power and repetition rate, plasma formation in excess of 10¹⁴-10¹⁶ cm^-3 occurs, which potentially reduces laser output power by electron collisional mixing of the upper and lower laser levels.

Citation Download Citation

Natalia Yu. Babaeva, Oleg Zatsarinny, Klaus Bartschat, and Mark J. Kushner "Mechanisms for plasma formation during high power pumping of XPAL", Proc. SPIE 8962, High Energy/Average Power Lasers and Intense Beam Applications VII, 89620D (25 February 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044707

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