Hi guys!
I'm interested in building a pulsed CO2 laser (I recently came into acquiring a sealed laser tube and three 3 kF 2.7 V ultracapacitors). I'm trying to recreate this guy's neat invention: You?ll shoot your eye out?with a 1MW laser pulse pistol, although in a slightly larger size with a CO2
The specs I am trying to achieve are:
1. Energy per pulse: 25 J
2. Pulse width: 100 ns
3 Pulse rate: 200 Hz
4. Spot size: 1.5 mm^2
From some calculations, I have determined that the laser's average power would be 5 kW, and the peak power would be 250 MW. It would have an irradiance of 16.7 GW/cm^2, and a fluence of 1.67 kJ/cm^2.
I have also determined that the total energy required for each firing cycle of the laser would be 5 kJ, and since each of my capacitors store 10.9 kJ (.5*3000*2.7^2; a total of 32.8 kJ), I have enough energy to operate at least the laser itself, assuming 20% efficiency in converting electrical to optical power.
I'm just trying to figure out cooling requirements. For compactness, I'd like to use a Peltier cooler to reduce the water flow requirements.
Thanks, and call me stupid if you think that's appropriate
Lexi
I'm interested in building a pulsed CO2 laser (I recently came into acquiring a sealed laser tube and three 3 kF 2.7 V ultracapacitors). I'm trying to recreate this guy's neat invention: You?ll shoot your eye out?with a 1MW laser pulse pistol, although in a slightly larger size with a CO2
The specs I am trying to achieve are:
1. Energy per pulse: 25 J
2. Pulse width: 100 ns
3 Pulse rate: 200 Hz
4. Spot size: 1.5 mm^2
From some calculations, I have determined that the laser's average power would be 5 kW, and the peak power would be 250 MW. It would have an irradiance of 16.7 GW/cm^2, and a fluence of 1.67 kJ/cm^2.
I have also determined that the total energy required for each firing cycle of the laser would be 5 kJ, and since each of my capacitors store 10.9 kJ (.5*3000*2.7^2; a total of 32.8 kJ), I have enough energy to operate at least the laser itself, assuming 20% efficiency in converting electrical to optical power.
I'm just trying to figure out cooling requirements. For compactness, I'd like to use a Peltier cooler to reduce the water flow requirements.
Thanks, and call me stupid if you think that's appropriate
Lexi
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