Hydrogen fluoride laser

Hydrogen fluoride laser

The hydrogen fluoride laser is an infrared chemical laser. It is capable of delivering continuous output power in the megawatt range.

Hydrogen fluoride lasers operate at the wavelength of 2.7-2.9 µm. This wavelength is absorbed by the atmosphere, effectively attenuating the beam and reducing its reach, unless used in a vacuum environment. However, when deuterium is used instead of hydrogen, the deuterium fluoride lases at the wavelength of about 3.8 µm. This makes the deuterium fluoride laser usable for terrestrial operations.

The deuterium fluoride laser constructionally resembles a rocket engine. In the combustion chamber, ethylene is burned in nitrogen trifluoride. This reaction produces free excited fluorine radicals. Just after the nozzle, the mixture of helium and hydrogen or deuterium gas is injected to the exhaust stream; the hydrogen or deuterium reacts with the fluorine radicals, producing excited molecules of deuterium or hydrogen fluoride. The excited molecules then undergo stimulated emission in the optical resonator region of the laser.

Deuterium fluoride lasers have found military applications: the MIRACL laser, the Pulsed Energy Projectile and the Tactical High Energy Lasers are of the deuterium fluoride type.

An Argentine-American physicist and accused spy, Leonardo Mascheroni, has proposed the idea of using hydrogen fluoride lasers to produce nuclear fusion.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Laser — For other uses, see Laser (disambiguation). United States Air Force laser experiment …   Wikipedia

  • Différents types de laser — Liste des différents types de laser Ceci est une liste des différents types de lasers avec la longueur d onde sur laquelle ils opèrent et leurs applications. Il existe plusieurs milliers de sortes de lasers mais la plupart d entre eux ne sont… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Liste des différents types de laser — Ceci est une liste des différents types de lasers avec la longueur d onde sur laquelle ils opèrent et leurs applications. Il existe plusieurs milliers de sortes de lasers mais la plupart d entre eux ne sont utilisés que dans le cadre de… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Chemical laser — A chemical laser is a laser that obtains its energy from a chemical reaction. Chemical lasers can achieve continuous wave output with power reaching to megawatt levels. They are used in industry for cutting and drilling. Common examples of… …   Wikipedia

  • Calcium fluoride — Chembox new ImageFileL1 = Calcium fluoride.jpg ImageSizeL1 = 150 px ImageFileR1 = Fluorite unit cell 3D ionic.png ImageSizeR1 = 150 px ImageFile2 = Fluorid vápenatý.png ImageSize2 = IUPACName = OtherNames = Section1 = Chembox Identifiers CASNo =… …   Wikipedia

  • Directed-energy weapon — This article is about practical experiments with energy weapons. For fictional uses, see raygun. Humvee with Active Denial System mounted A directed energy weapon (DEW) emits energy in an aimed direction without the means of a projectile. It… …   Wikipedia

  • Yttrium — (pronEng|ˈɪtriəm) is a chemical element with symbol Y and atomic number 39. It is a silvery metallic transition metal chemically similar to the lanthanoids and has historically been classified as a rare earth element. Yttrium is almost always… …   Wikipedia

  • Molten salt reactor — scheme. A molten salt reactor (MSR) is a type of nuclear fission reactor in which the primary coolant, or even the fuel itself is a molten salt mixture. MSRs run at higher temperatures than water cooled reactors for higher thermodynamic… …   Wikipedia

  • Nobel Prizes — ▪ 2009 Introduction Prize for Peace       The 2008 Nobel Prize for Peace was awarded to Martti Ahtisaari, former president (1994–2000) of Finland, for his work over more than 30 years in settling international disputes, many involving ethnic,… …   Universalium

  • Photolithography — For earlier uses of photolithography in printing, see Lithography. For the same process applied to metal, see Photochemical machining. Photolithography (or optical lithography ) is a process used in microfabrication to selectively remove parts of …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”