Shock wave introduction of gas into relativistic e-beam-pumped lasers and drift tubes

Abstract

The pressure differential across a shock wave provides the low pressure required to launch an electron beam from a field-emission cathode and the high pressure needed for electron-beam-pumped gas lasers. This new pumping arrangement has eliminated the conventionally employed fragile anode foil, which causes scattering of the electron beam and which limits energy density and repetition rate. Initial results indicate that longitudinally pumped gas lasers have output powers an order of magnitude greater than that attained with the anode foil.