Abstract

Previously, the perfluoro-t-butyl iodide (CF₃)₃CI, or t-QF₉I has been identified as the most promising lasant for a space-based, direct solar-pumped laser power system because of its good solar spectrum utilization, excellent laser kinetics, and minimal recycling requirements.^1–3 The iodide t-C₄F₉I has demonstrated more than twice the laser output of n-C₃F₇I, the usual iodide, with flashlamp excitation,¹ where the ratio of spectral irradiance in the absorption band of t-C₄F₉I and n-C₃F₇I was 1.4. However, this ratio is significantly different from the ratio 2.2 for the air mass zero (AMO) solar spectrum. Therefore, pumping t-C₄F₉I by a closely simulated solar spectrum is expected to give even better laser efficiency. This paper reports the results of a comparative study on laser performances of t-C₄F₉I and n-C₃F₇I under closely simulated solar pumping. The closely simulated solar irradiance was obtained by using a filtering jacket over the laser tube.

© 1991 Optical Society of America