Prospects for the nuclear pumping of a VUV laser

摘要

The possibility of using nuclear emissions in particular, uranium-fission fragments to create a powerful source of stimulated VUV radiation is analyzed. The starting point in the analysis is provided by the results of recent investigations of a krypton-xenon mixture in an extended dc discharge, which indicate that continuous lasing is possible in the VUV region. Experience in transforming the kinetic energy of nuclear particles into the laser radiation of inert gases (in the visible and near-IR regions) makes it possible to homogeneously pump extended volumes of inert gases at atmospheric pressures and to transfer 20-30 of the embedded energy into spontaneous VUV excimer radiation. According to our estimates, the power of the quasi-continuous laser VUV radiation can reach 1-2 kWL in this case.