Closed cycle chemical laser

摘要

A closed cycle chemical laser adapted for continuous wave operation is disclosed. A first gas such as sulphur hexafluoride is decomposed by an electrical discharge means to provide at least some fluorine atoms which when combined with molecular hydrogen in a mixing chamber located upstream of and proximate to an optical power extraction chamber forms an excited laser species capable of stimulated emission to produce a continuous wave output beam. After passing through the optical cavity the effluent is purified by selective absorption and adsorption processes to eliminate the laser species from the effluent and to separate the hydrogen for recirculation back to the mixing chamber. The remaining effluent has its pressure increased, is supplemented with makeup feed gases and is recycled. The operation of the system using sulphur hexafluoride and hydrogen gases is discussed in detail and various combinations of other suitable reactants are disclosed.