Pulsed Nitrogen Laser for Optical Plasma Diagnostics

摘要

A nitrogen laser oscillator-amplifier system has been constructed for use as afast pulsed light source for schlieren, shadowgraph, Moire Schlieren, or interferometric diagnostics of pulsed plasmas. It utilizes an atmospheric pressure nitrogen laser as an oscillator and a low pressure transverse discharge as an amplifier. The output beam has a rectangular cross section with dimensions 5mm x 15mm, a pulse length of about 1 nsec, and is of sufficient optical quality that it may be used for interferometry. The beam energy is about 1 mJoule per pulse.