Abstract
Nuclear-Pumped Lasers are lasers that are “pumped” by the products from nuclear reactions. In Chap. 1, the reader is introduced to lasers, the important components of a laser, some basic properties of lasers and how those properties can lead to solutions for problems requiring high-energy/high-power lasers. The development and understanding of these fundamentals are essential for the transitioning of the discussions into an understanding of the principles which are critical to nuclear-pumped laser research.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Miley GH, McArthur DA, Deyoung RJ, Prelas MA (1989) Fission reactor pumped laser: history and prospects. In: Carlson JW, Behrens AD (eds) 50 years of nuclear power, National Academy of Science and NIST. American Nuclear Society, Lagrange, IL, pp 333–342
Prelas MA, Loyalka SK (1981) A review of the utilization of energetic ions for the production of excited atomic and molecular states and chemical synthesis. Prog Nucl Energy 8:35–52
Schmidt GR, Sutliff TJ, Dudzinski LA (2011) Radioisotope power: a key technology for deep space exploration, radioisotopes – applications in physical sciences (Singh N, ed). ISBN: 978-953-307-510-5, InTech. doi:10.5772/22041. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/radioisotopes-applications-in-physical-sciences/radioisotope-power-a-key-technology-for-deep-space-exploration
Hatsopoulos GN, Gyftopoulos EP (1973) Thermionic energy conversion, vol. 1: processes and devices. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA
Nelson RE (2003) A brief history of thermophotovoltaic development. Semicond Sci Technol 18:S141–S143
Hunt TK, Weber N, Cole T (1981) High efficiency thermoelectric conversion with beta-alumina electrolytes, the sodium heat engine. Solid State Ion 5:263–266
Fein ME, Verdeyen JT, Cherrington BE (1969) A thermally pumped CO2 laser. Appl Phys Lett 14:337–340
Department of Energy (2013) In: I. N. Laboratory (ed) Summary of plutonium-238 production alternatives analysis final report. DOE Idaho Falls. Available: http://www5vip.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/5753429.pdf
Deus S (2000) Tritium-powered betavoltaic cells based on amorphous silicon. In: Photovoltaic specialists conference, 2000. Conference record of the twenty-eighth IEEE, New York, NY, pp 1246–1249
Duggirala R, Li H, Lal A (2008) High efficiency radioisotope energy conversion using reciprocating electromechanical converters with integrated betavoltaics. Appl Phys Lett 92:154104
Watermann ML, Prelas MA (2013) Integrated solid-state nuclear pumped laser/reactor design for asteroid redirection. Trans Am Nucl Soc 109:1531
Prelas MA, Boody FP, Miley GH, Kunze JF (1988) Nuclear driven flashlamps. Laser Part Beams 6:25–62
Boody FP, Prelas MA, Anderson JH, Nagalingam SJS, Miley GH (1978) Progress in nuclear-pumped lasers. In: Billman K, AIAA (eds) Radiation energy conversion in space, vol 61. AIAA, New York, pp 379–410
APS_Study_Group_on_Science_and_Technology_of_Directed_Energy_Weapons (1987) Report to the APS of the Study Group on Science and Technology of Directed Energy Weapons. Rev Mod Phys 59:S1–S202
Lyons P, Clarke J, Metzger D (1974) Gamma initiated HF laser. Quantum Electron IEEE J 10:736–736
Ebert P, Ferderber L, Koehler H, Kuckuck R, Redhead D (1974) Amplified spontaneous emission in xenon pumped by gamma rays. Quantum Electron IEEE J 10:736–736
Maiman TH (1960) Stimulated optical radiation in ruby. Nature 187:493–494
Gordon JP, Zeiger HJ, Townes CH (1954) Molecular microwave oscillator and new hyperfine structure in the microwave spectrum of NH3. Phys Rev 95:282–284
Gordon JP, Zeiger HJ, Townes CH (1955) The maser—new type of microwave amplifier, frequency standard, and spectrometer. Phys Rev 99:1264–1274
Wisoff PJ, Bowers MW, Erbert GV, Browning DF, Jedlovec DR (2004) NIF injection laser system. In: Proceedings of SPIE 5341, Optical engineering at the Lawrence Livermore national laboratory II: the national ignition facility, 28 May 2004. doi:10.1117/12.538466
President_Dwight_D._Eisenhower (1953) Atom for peace. Available: http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/atoms_for_peace.html. August 15, 2014
United_States_Nuclear_Regulatory_Commission (1955) Atoms for peace conference: international conference on the peaceful uses of atomic energy. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Geneva, August 1955
Kaufman S (2012) Project Plowshare: the peaceful use of nuclear explosives in Cold War America. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY
Goodchild P (2004) Edward Teller: the real Dr. Strangelove. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA
Regan PR (1983) Address to the nation on defense and national security. Available: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1983/32383d.htm. August 16, 2014
Rakhimova TV, Braginsky OV, Ivanov VV, Kim TK, Kong JT, Kovalev AS et al (2006) Experimental and theoretical study of RF plasma at low and high frequency. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 34:867–877
Peck M, Velez V, Ghosh T, Prelas M (2004) Generation and characterization of krypton and argon excimers from a microwave fluorescence lamp. Trans Am Nucl Soc 90:363–364
Ulrich A, Niessl C, Tomizawa H, Wieser J, Murnick DE, Salvermoser M (2000) Low-energy electron-beam-pumped lasers. In: Proceedings of SPIE 4071, International conference on atomic and molecular pulsed lasers III, 2, April 24, 2000. pp 2–8. doi:10.1117/12.383443
Harvey EC, Shaw MJ (1991) A simple kinetic model for electron-beam-pumped KrF lasers. Laser Part Beams 9:659–673
Sethian JD, Friedman M, Giuliani JL, Lehmberg RH, Obenschain SP, Kepple P et al (2003) Electron beam pumped KrF lasers for fusion energy. Phys Plasmas (1994-present) 10:2142–2146
Verdeyen JT (2000) Laser electronics. Prentice Hall, Inc, Upper Saddle River
Fein ME, Verdeyen JT, Cherrington BE (1969) ERRATUM: a thermally‐pumped CO2 laser. Appl Phys Lett 15:128
Hara H, Nakao S (1978) Enhancement of thermally pumped CO2 laser power by addition of Ar gas. Jpn J Appl Phys 17:971
Hecht J (2011) Understanding lasers: an entry-level guide. Wiley, New York
Jirásek V, Čenský M, Špalek O, Kodymová J, Picková I, Jakubec I (2008) Chemical oxygen–iodine laser with atomic iodine generated via fluorine atoms. Chem Phys 345:14–22
Truesdell KA, Helms CA, Hager GD (1994) History of chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) development in the USA. In: Proceedings of SPIE 2502, Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium, 217 (September 23, 1994), pp 217–237. doi:10.1117/12.204917
Grumman N (2014) Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB), August 21, 2014, http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_altb.html
Ulrich A, Busch B, Krötz W, Ribitzki G, Wieser J, Murnick DE (1993) Heavy-ion beam pumping as a model for nuclear-pumped lasers. Laser Part Beams 11:509–519
Ulrich A, Wieser J, Brunnhuber A, Krötz W (1994) Heavy ion beam pumped visible laser. Appl Phys Lett 64:1902–1904
Ulrich A, Adonin A, Jacoby J, Turtikov V, Fernengel D, Fertman A et al (2006) Excimer laser pumped by an intense, high-energy heavy-ion beam. Phys Rev Lett 97:153901
Adonin A (2007) Heavy ion beam pumped KrF* excimer laser. PhD, Physics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Repetti TE (1991) Application of reactor-pumped lasers to power beaming (ed), http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a338945.pdf
Felty JR, Lipinski RJ, McArthur DA, Pickard PS (1993) DOE reactor-pumped laser program. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Ghosh TK, Prelas MA (2009) Energy resources and systems: volume 1: fundamentals and non-renewable resources. Springer, Dordrecht
Prelas M, Miley G (1981) Dynamics of the nuclear and electrically pumped 1.45-μm atomic carbon laser in mixtures of Helium + CO and Helium + CO2. Nucl Technol/Fusion 1(3):402–413
Bennett WR Jr (1962) Optical spectra excited in high pressure noble gases by alpha impact. Ann Phys 18:367–420
Dondes S, Harteck P, Kunz C (1966) A spectroscopic study of alpha-ray-induced luminescence in gases: part I. Radiat Res 27:174–210
DeYoung RJ, Weaver WR (1980) Spectra from nuclear-excited plasmas. J Opt Soc Am 70:500–506
Lecours MJ, Prelas MA, Gunn S, Edwards C, Schlapper G (1982) Design, construction, and testing of a nuclear pumping facility at the University of Missouri Research Reactor. Rev Sci Instrum 53:952–959
Melnikov SP, Puning VT, Sinyanskii AA (2008) Gas lasers with nuclear pumping: physical processes and experimental techniques. Federal Agency for Education, Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia
Melnikov SP, Sizov AN, Sinyanskii AA, Miley GH (2015) Lasers with nuclear pumping. Springer, New York
Lofthus A, Krupenie PH (1977) The spectrum of molecular nitrogen. J Phys Chem Ref Data 6:113–307
NIST (2015) Strong lines in helium. Available: http://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/heliumtable2.htm
NIST (2015) Strong lines in nitrogen. Available: http://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/nitrogentable2.htm
NIST (2015) Strong lines in oxygen. Available: http://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/oxygentable2.htm
Miley GH, Boody FP, Nagalingham SJS, Prelas MA (1978) Production of XeF(B-X) by nuclear-pumping. In: Corcoran VJ (ed) Proceedings of the international conference on laser. Society for Optical & Quantum Electronics STS Press, 1979 – Technology & Engineering, MacLean
Boody FP, Miley GH (1979) Data on XeBr* which indicated a 15% efficiency. Nuclear Engineering Department, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (unpublished)
Miley GH, Nagalingham SJS, Boody FP, Prelas MA (1978) Production of XeF(B) by nuclear-pumping. In: Proceedings of the international conference on lasers 78, Orlando Florida, Proceedings (A79-51401 23–36). STS Press, McLean, 1979, pp 5–13
Prelas M (1979) Nuclear pumping mechanisms in atomic carbon and in excimers. In: Nuclear-pumped lasers, pp 41–43 (SEE N80-13438 04–36), 1979. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, pp 41–43
Miley GH, Prelas MA (2004) Neutron-pumped excimer flashlamp sources. In: Proceedings of SPIE 5196, Laser-generated and other laboratory X-ray and EUV sources, optics, and applications, January 7, 2004, pp 263–272. doi:10.1117/12.504396
Boody FP, Prelas MA (1992) Efficient visible nuclear-driven fluorescer lamps. In: Proceedings of specialist conference on physics of nuclear induced plasmas and problems of nuclear-pumped lasers, USSR, Obninsk, 05/1992, pp 161–165. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.1599.1525
Boody FP, Prelas MA (1992) Absolutely calibrated spectra of nuclear driven rare gases, 400–950 nm. In: Proceedings of specialist conference on physics of nuclear induced plasmas and problems of nuclear-pumped lasers. Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, USSR, Obninsk, pp 149–155. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3172.0167
Prelas MA (1989) Nuclear-driven solid-state lasers. In: Proceedings of the international conference on lasers 1989, New Orleans, LA. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3178.8000
Prelas MA (1985) Excimer research using nuclear-pumping facilities, (ed) National Science Foundation: NSF, pp 1–131. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3714.7366
Prelas MA (1991). In: Department_of_Energy (ed) Remote pumping of solid-state lasers with nuclear driven fluorescers. DOE/ER/13029-T3, pp 1–35
Lin L-TS (1994) Microwave and nuclear excitation of Alkali metal vapors. PhD, Nuclear Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Prelas MA, Weaver CL, Watermann ML, Lukosi ED, Schott RJ, Wisniewski DA (2014) A review of nuclear batteries. Prog Nucl Energy 75:117–148
DOE-HDBK-1019/1-93 (1993) Nuclear physics and reactor theory. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
SPIE (2014) SPIE virtual laser exhibit: 1960–1969. Available: http://spie.org/x39920.xml. August 12, 2014
Zhou B, Kane TJ, Dixon GJ, Byer RL (1985) Efficient, frequency-stable laser-diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser. Opt Lett 10:62–64
Yariv A (1971) Introduction to optical electronics. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, New York
Carter AB (1984) Directed energy missile defense in space–a background paper. NTIS, Alexandria, VA
Cobine JD (1958) Gaseous conductors: theory and engineering applications. Dover, New York
Freiberg RJ, O’Clark P (1970) CO2 transverse-discharge lasers. IEEE J Quan Electron QE-6:105–113, February 1970
Verdeyen JT (1995) Laser electronics. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Yariv A (1976) Introduction to optical electronics. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York
Shwartz J, Gerald TW, Avidor JM (2002) Tactical high-energy laser. In: Proceedings of SPIE 4632, Laser and beam control technologies, 10 (June 5, 2002). doi:10.1117/12.469758
GSI (2014) Images database. Available: https://www.gsi.de/de/presse_medien/mediathek/bilderdatenbank.htm?nr=805#c4441. August 22
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Prelas, M. (2016). Introduction to Nuclear-Pumped Lasers. In: Nuclear-Pumped Lasers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19845-3_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19845-3_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-19844-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19845-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)