This book covers the basics, realization and materials for high power laser systems and high power radiation interaction with matter. The physical and technical fundamentals of high intensity laser optics and adaptive optics and the related physical processes in high intensity laser systems are explained. A main question discussed is: What is power optics? In what way is it different from ordinary optics widely used in cameras, motion-picture projectors, i.e., for everyday use? An undesirable consequence of the thermal deformation of optical elements and surfaces was discovered during studies of the interaction with powerful incident laser radiation. The requirements to the fabrication, performance and quality of optical elements employed within systems for most practical applications are also covered. The high-power laser performance is generally governed by the following: (i) the absorption of incident optical radiation (governed primarily by various absorption mechanisms), (ii) followed by a temperature increase and response governed primarily by thermal properties and (iii) the thermo-optical and thermo-mechanical response of distortion, stress, fracture, etc. All this needs to be understood to design efficient, compact, reliable and useful high power systems for many applications under a variety of operating conditions, pulsed, continuous wave and burst mode of varying duty cycles. The book gives an overview of an important spectrum of related topics like laser resonator configurations, intermetallic optical coatings, heat carriers for high power optics, cellular materials, high-repetition-rate lasers and mono-module disk lasers for high power optics.

This book explores new principles of Self-Initiating Volume Discharge for creating high-energy non-chain HF(DF) lasers, as well as the creation of highly efficient lasers with output energy and radiation power in the spectral region of 2.6-5 m. Today, sources of high-power lasing in this spectral region are in demand in various fields of science and technology including remote sensing of the atmosphere, medicine, biological imaging, precision machining and other special applications. These applications require efficient laser sources with high pulse energy, pulsed and average power, which makes the development of physical fundamentals of high-power laser creation and laser complexes of crucial importance. High-Energy Ecologically Safe HF/DF Lasers: Physics of Self-Initiated Volume Discharge-Based HF/DF Lasers examines the conditions of formation of SSVD, gas composition and the mode of energy input into the gas on the efficiency and radiation energy of non-chain HF(DF) lasers. Key Features: Shares research results on SSVD in mixtures of non-chain HF(DF) lasers Studies the stability and dynamics of the development of SSVD Discusses the effect of the gas composition and geometry of the discharge gap (DG) on its characteristics Proposes recommendations for gas composition and for the method of obtaining SSVD in non-chain HF(DF) lasers Develops simple and reliable wide-aperture non-chain HF(DF) lasers and investigates their characteristics Investigates the possibilities of expanding the lasing spectrum of non-chain HF(DF) lasers

This book covers the basics, realization and materials for high power laser systems and high power radiation interaction with matter. The physical and technical fundamentals of high intensity laser optics and adaptive optics and the related physical processes in high intensity laser systems are explained. A main question discussed is: What is power optics? In what way is it different from ordinary optics widely used in cameras, motion-picture projectors, i.e., for everyday use? An undesirable consequence of the thermal deformation of optical elements and surfaces was discovered during studies of the interaction with powerful incident laser radiation. The requirements to the fabrication, performance and quality of optical elements employed within systems for most practical applications are also covered. The high-power laser performance is generally governed by the following: (i) the absorption of incident optical radiation (governed primarily by various absorption mechanisms), (ii) followed by a temperature increase and response governed primarily by thermal properties and (iii) the thermo-optical and thermo-mechanical response of distortion, stress, fracture, etc. All this needs to be understood to design efficient, compact, reliable and useful high power systems for many applications under a variety of operating conditions, pulsed, continuous wave and burst mode of varying duty cycles. The book gives an overview of an important spectrum of related topics like laser resonator configurations, intermetallic optical coatings, heat carriers for high power optics, cellular materials, high-repetition-rate lasers and mono-module disk lasers for high power optics.

This book explores new principles of Self-Initiating Volume Discharge for creating high-energy non-chain HF(DF) lasers, as well as the creation of highly efficient lasers with output energy and radiation power in the spectral region of 2.6-5 m. Today, sources of high-power lasing in this spectral region are in demand in various fields of science and technology including remote sensing of the atmosphere, medicine, biological imaging, precision machining and other special applications. These applications require efficient laser sources with high pulse energy, pulsed and average power, which makes the development of physical fundamentals of high-power laser creation and laser complexes of crucial importance. High-Energy Ecologically Safe HF/DF Lasers: Physics of Self-Initiated Volume Discharge-Based HF/DF Lasers examines the conditions of formation of SSVD, gas composition and the mode of energy input into the gas on the efficiency and radiation energy of non-chain HF(DF) lasers. Key Features: Shares research results on SSVD in mixtures of non-chain HF(DF) lasers Studies the stability and dynamics of the development of SSVD Discusses the effect of the gas composition and geometry of the discharge gap (DG) on its characteristics Proposes recommendations for gas composition and for the method of obtaining SSVD in non-chain HF(DF) lasers Develops simple and reliable wide-aperture non-chain HF(DF) lasers and investigates their characteristics Investigates the possibilities of expanding the lasing spectrum of non-chain HF(DF) lasers

The goal of the book is to present the high-power high-frequency pulse periodic laser systems, which in the nearest time will find a lot of applications in the field of ecology, machinery, space engineering, nuclear technologies and many others. A laser-plasma generator of multiply charged ions produces a large number of heavy ions in the regime of short periodic pulses, which is needed for ion accelerators operating in the pulse periodic regime. The source of this type is also promising for effective use in the field of heavy-ion fusion, brittle materials figure cutting, oil films elimination from the water surface and so on. This book has considered, in details, a new approach to the problem of a laser jet engine creation, which is based on the resonance merging of shock waves generated by an optical pulsating discharge, produced by such a laser. To obtain an optical pulsating discharge, the authors suggested the usage of high-power pulse-periodic laser radiation, which can be generated by wide aperture carbon dioxide, chemical and mono-module disk type solid-state laser systems. Future developments of the disk laser technology as the most effective and scalable to the level of many hundreds of kW as well are under consideration in the book.

The book High Power Lasers in Our Life is devoted to the blessed memory of the author's teacher and colleague, A.M. Prokhorov Nobel Prize winner and the founder of the General Physics Institute RAS. The general idea of this book is to discuss high-power, high-frequency, pulse-periodic laser systems, suggested and developed together with A.M. Prokhorov. In the near future, they will find a lot of new and very effective applications in the area of energy transfer systems, ecology, machinery, space engineering, engineering of hard ice in the Arctic, acceleration of charged particles produced by high energy lasers and many others. A laser-plasma generator of charged ions produces a large number of heavy ions in the regime of short periodic pulses, which is of interest for ion accelerators operating in the pulse-periodic regime as well as a topic of high interest. This book has considered in detail a new approach to the problem of a laser jet engine creation, which is based on the resonance merging of shock waves generated by an optical pulsating discharge, produced by such a laser. To obtain an optical pulsating discharge, which is the source of EMI (a wide spectrum of light and sound), we suggested the usage of high-power pulse-periodic laser radiation, which can be generated by a big aperture of carbon dioxide, chemical and mono-module disk type solid-state laser systems with LD pumping. Future developments of disk laser technology as most effective and scalable to the level of hundreds of kW are under consideration in this book as well. A laser-plasma based generator of highly charged ions produces a large number of particles in the regime of short periodic pulses, which is of interest for ion accelerators operating in the pulse-periodic regime as well as a topic of high interest. The source of this type is also promising for effective use in the field of heavy-ion fusion, brittle materials figure cutting, oil films elimination from water surfaces and so on. This book will be of great interest for many different communities: students, scientists, teachers, and intellectually advanced people. The future of high power, high repetition rate lasers is very bright!