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Ionizing mechanisms in a cesium plasma irradiated with a ruby laser
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Shimada, K. Robinson, L. B. |
| Copyright Year | 1975 |
| Description | A cesium filled diode--laser plasmadynamic converter was built to investigate the feasibility of converting laser energy to electrical energy at large power levels. Experiments were performed with a pulsed ruby laser to determine the quantity of electrons and cesium ions generated per pulse of laser beam and to determine the output voltage. A current density as high as 200 amp/sq cm from a spot of approximately 1 sq mm area and an open circuit voltage as high as 1.5 volts were recorded. A qualitative theory was developed to explain these results. In the operation of the device, the laser beam evaporates some of the cesium and ionizes the cesium gas. A dense cesium plasma is formed to absorb further the laser energy. Results suggest that the simultaneous absorption of two ruby laser photons by the cesium atoms plays an important role in the initial ionization of cesium. Inverse bremsstrahlung absorption appears to be the dominant mechanism in subsequent processes. Recombinations of electrons and cesium ions appear to compete favorably with the simultaneous absorption of two photons. |
| File Size | 3598927 |
| Page Count | 21 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19750019827 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t0tr0pg49 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1975-06-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Plasma Physics Laser Outputs Bremsstrahlung Recombination Reactions Energy Conversion Cesium Plasma Ruby Lasers Current Density Pulsed Lasers Laser Applications Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports ServerĀ (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |