Compact TEA N2 laser

Abstract

A novel pulsed uv laser that operates with pure N2 at 1 atm pressure is described. The length of the laser channel is only 25 cm, yet the laser is capable of producing over 0.5 MW peak power with less than 20 kV supplied to the circuit. Its simple construction should encourage widespread duplication.

Development of Low-Cost Prototype N<sub>2</sub> Laser System and Laser-Induced Fluorescence of Pyranine

“…It is a pulse-forming network that can provide the required discharge to the cavity, resulting in excitation and the production of the laser. As a high population inversion is necessary for lasing, which in this case is produced by the Blumlein circuit, which stores energy and then leads to excitation [10,11].…”

“…Capacitors are used in this laser system for energy storage purposes. The capacitors store some amount of energy which can be measured from the relation, (4) The energy stored in capacitors C 1 and C 2 is 1360.1mJ and 1696.5mJ respectively. Total Energy stored in capacitors, 3056…”

“…In 1967 John D. Shipman Jr. developed the TEA nitrogen lasers with parallel transmission lines [3]. Bergmann, in 1977 created a nitrogen laser at 20KV of 0.5MW peak power and energy of 630uJ per pulse [4]. Likewise, many scientists then developed nitrogen lasers and worked on improving their efficiency.…”

A simplified nitrogen laser setup operated at atmospheric pressure

“…This laser operated at voltage in the ranges of 5-40 kV with the output energies from 40 to 370 µJ [1]. Thus their studies play an important role in laser technology.…”

A compact low-voltage TEA-N2laser

“…A compact, transversely excited atmospheric-pressure nitrogen (TEA-N 2 ) laser with a few hundred microjoules of output energy provides a convenient ultraviolet (UV) light source for dye-laser pumping, fluorescence lifetime studies, and optical diagnostics of transient plasmas. Although several compact designs of parallel-plate, Blumlein-driven TEA-N 2 laser have been reported [1][2][3][4][5], their operating voltages are usually in the range of 15-40 kV. It is always desirable to lower the operating voltage so as to reduce the generation of electromagnetic interference and to minimize the dielectric breakdown of the insulator layer in parallelplate capacitors.…”