Trends in high energy laser research in israel - an overview

Current high energy laser (HEL) research in Israel concentrates on investigation of basic physical, chemical and fluid dynamics issues relevant to existing as well as to novel HELs. Ongoing research in four main laser systems is described and its relevance to HELs is discussed in the present overview: Supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine lasers (SCOIL). Research in this field deals with modeling and construction of novel singlet-delta oxygen generators and with theoretical and experimental investigation of iodine/oxygen mixing in nozzles. A small scale SCOIL is used for studying operation parameters which are important for high power supersonic iodine lasers. The research is conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Solar-pumped lasers. Solid-state solar-pumped lasers are investigated. A 2-kW laser head has been built and a parametric study of its characteristics (beam quality, pulsed operation, frequency up-conversion and tunability) is underway. This study will serve as a basis for a design of a megawatt class solar-pumped lasers. The investigation is carried out at the Weizmann j Institute of Science. Free electron lasers (FEL). A laboratory demonstration of an electrostatic accelerator (2-5 KV, 1 Ampere) FEL is underway. This type of FEL has a potential of operating at average powers in the megawatt range in the far IR to mm wavelength region, with high energy conversion efficiency and high degree of coherence. Taking part in the FEL project are Tel-Aviv University, Weizmann Institute, Rafael (Armament Development Authority) and Nuclear Research Center - Negev, Short-wavelength chemical lasers (SWCL). The main effort in this field is on feasibility studies of detonation based SWCLs. In particular, the fluid dynamics of the detonation products of lead azide is studied in order to achieve an optically homogeneous medium in the cloud of expanding products. These studies are carried out at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.