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 μm. 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

With the development of HF and DF lasers having emission lines in the range from 2800 to 3700/cm−1 (HF) and 2000 to 2750/cm−1 (DF), it is of importance to establish which of the more than 100 lines can be transmitted through a variety of atmospheric paths. The spectral region of HF emission spans a very important water vapor absorption band and, in addition, there is strong absorption by CO2 and weaker absorption by ozone and methane. The spectral region of DF emission covers the very strong 4.3 micrometer CO2 absorption band and weaker absorption by N2O and HDO at higher frequencies (low DF vibrational transitions). There is some weak ozone absorption also in the region of DF emission. Absorption lines associated with all of these molecules were included in the calculation of synthetic spectra covering the region of HF and DF emission. After limiting the number of emission lines to be considered in detail according to a criterion based on atmospheric attenuation, a series of tables was constructed providing quantitative attenuation information for each of 97 laser lines and for 10 different atmospheric models. Data based on two different aerosol scattering models are included in these tables.