Chemical oxygen-iodine laser using a new method of atomic iodine generation

The chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) with a new chemical method of atomic iodine production was investigated. In this system, iodine atoms are formed in the COIL cavity by the fast chemical reaction of hydrogen iodide with chlorine atoms that are also produced chemically. It was found that, in the absence of singlet oxygen, the ground state atomic iodine can be produced with a high yield (80%-100%). In gas containing singlet oxygen, a gain on 3-4 electronic transition in iodine atom was achieved (0.35% cm/sup -1/). Both the concentration of atomic iodine and the gain depend substantially on the ratio of reacting gases and the penetration of secondary gases into the primary gas flow. In laser experiments, effects of the flow rate of reacting gases and their penetration on the laser output power were found. The output power of 310 W was attained at chlorine flow rate of 27 mmol/spl middot/s/sup -1/ corresponding to chemical efficiency of 12.7%. This was the first time the gain and laser output power were achieved in the COIL with atomic iodine generated by the proposed method.