ABSTRACT

A schematic diagram of a typical HF/DF laser is shown in figure B3.4.2.1. The HF/DF laser consists of an F-atom generator, a nozzle array to accelerate the F-atom stream and reduce its pressure and temperature, a device to inject H2 or D2 and promote their mixing with the F atom stream, an optical resonator to extract the laser beam and a pressure recovery system because these lasers operate at subatmospheric pressures. The power produced by these lasers scales with the flow rates of the reactants: to double the power, the flow rates are doubled.