Optical gain Characteristics of a Throat Mixing GDL Driven by Decomposed Gas of Liquid N₂O

Abstract

Small signal gain of a throat mixing gasdynamic laser was measured. This mixing GDL was driven by decomposed gas of liquid N₂O and mixed with liquid CO₂ at the throat of a screen nozzle. The maximum gain of 0.42%/cm was obtained at a H₂O concentration in the donor gas of about 0.1 %. When a H₂O concentrationin the donor gas was less than 0.1 % the optical gain was significantly reduced due to a large amount of O₂ which was generated by decomposition of the N₂O. Small signal gain was monotonously increased with increasing the CO₂ concentration up to 30%.