Recently we became interested in applying previous work with liquid fueled laser powered minithrusters for spacecraft orientation to the conceptual design of a multi-newton thruster based on the same principles. Solid-fuel configurations (such as the fuel tapes used in the Photonic Associates microthruster) are not amenable to the range of mass delivery rates (g/s to g/s) necessary for such an engine. We will discuss problems for this design which have been solved, including identifying a practical method of delivering liquid fuel to the laser focus, avoiding splashing of liquid fuels under pulsed laser illumination, and avoiding optics clouding due to ablation backstreaming on optical surfaces from the laser-fuel interaction region. We have already shown that Isp = 680 seconds can be achieved by a viscous liquid fuel based on glycidyl azide polymer and an IR-dye laser absorber. The final problem is mass: we will discuss a notional engine design which fits within a 10-kg "dry mass" budget. This engine, 80kg mass with fuel, is designed to fit within a 180-kg spacecraft, and use 3kW of prime power to deliver a Δv of 17.5 km/s to the spacecraft in sixteen months. Its specific impulse will be adjustable over the range 200sp<3,600 seconds and maximum thrust will be 6N, based on performance which has been demonstrated in the laboratory. Such an engine can put small satellites through demanding maneuvers in short times, while generating the optimum specific impulse for each mission segment. We see no reason why Isp = 10,000 seconds cannot be achieved with liquid fuels.
{"title":"Laser-powered multi-newton thrust space engine with variable specific impulse","authors":"C. Phipps, J. Luke, W. Helgeson","doi":"10.1117/12.786459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.786459","url":null,"abstract":"Recently we became interested in applying previous work with liquid fueled laser powered minithrusters for spacecraft orientation to the conceptual design of a multi-newton thruster based on the same principles. Solid-fuel configurations (such as the fuel tapes used in the Photonic Associates microthruster) are not amenable to the range of mass delivery rates (g/s to g/s) necessary for such an engine. We will discuss problems for this design which have been solved, including identifying a practical method of delivering liquid fuel to the laser focus, avoiding splashing of liquid fuels under pulsed laser illumination, and avoiding optics clouding due to ablation backstreaming on optical surfaces from the laser-fuel interaction region. We have already shown that Isp = 680 seconds can be achieved by a viscous liquid fuel based on glycidyl azide polymer and an IR-dye laser absorber. The final problem is mass: we will discuss a notional engine design which fits within a 10-kg \"dry mass\" budget. This engine, 80kg mass with fuel, is designed to fit within a 180-kg spacecraft, and use 3kW of prime power to deliver a Δv of 17.5 km/s to the spacecraft in sixteen months. Its specific impulse will be adjustable over the range 200sp<3,600 seconds and maximum thrust will be 6N, based on performance which has been demonstrated in the laboratory. Such an engine can put small satellites through demanding maneuvers in short times, while generating the optimum specific impulse for each mission segment. We see no reason why Isp = 10,000 seconds cannot be achieved with liquid fuels.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"7005 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130426518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Emmert, D. Nguyen, I. Cravetchi, M. Mero, W. Rudolph, M. Jupé, M. Lappschies, K. Starke, D. Ristau
Laser induced breakdown of single-layer, ion-beam sputtered TixSi1-xO2 composite films was studied using single and multiple pulses from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The bandgap of this coating material can be gradually adjusted with the composition parameter x. A scaling law with respect to the bandgap energy and pulse duration dependence of the single-pulse damage threshold that was observed previously for pure oxide films was found to apply to the composite films as well. The dependence of the damage threshold as a function of pulse number F(N) was similar to the behavior observed for pure oxide films. It was possible to explain the dependence as a function of pulse number using a theoretical model based on the formation and accumulation of defects. The shape of F(N) can be used to estimate the role of shallow traps and deep traps on the multiple-pulse breakdown behavior.
{"title":"Subpicosecond dielectric breakdown and incubation in TixSi1-xO2 composite films with adjustable bandgap","authors":"L. Emmert, D. Nguyen, I. Cravetchi, M. Mero, W. Rudolph, M. Jupé, M. Lappschies, K. Starke, D. Ristau","doi":"10.1117/12.785154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.785154","url":null,"abstract":"Laser induced breakdown of single-layer, ion-beam sputtered TixSi1-xO2 composite films was studied using single and multiple pulses from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The bandgap of this coating material can be gradually adjusted with the composition parameter x. A scaling law with respect to the bandgap energy and pulse duration dependence of the single-pulse damage threshold that was observed previously for pure oxide films was found to apply to the composite films as well. The dependence of the damage threshold as a function of pulse number F(N) was similar to the behavior observed for pure oxide films. It was possible to explain the dependence as a function of pulse number using a theoretical model based on the formation and accumulation of defects. The shape of F(N) can be used to estimate the role of shallow traps and deep traps on the multiple-pulse breakdown behavior.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"176 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134292570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Basic characteristics of the laser-based engine will be compared with theoretical predictions and important stages of further technology implementation (low frequency resonance). Relying on a wide cooperation of different branches of science and industry organizations it is very possible to use the accumulated potential for launching of nano - vehicles during the upcoming years.
{"title":"Stationary force production: experimental and theoretical investigations","authors":"V. Apollonov","doi":"10.1117/12.782720","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.782720","url":null,"abstract":"Basic characteristics of the laser-based engine will be compared with theoretical predictions and important stages of further technology implementation (low frequency resonance). Relying on a wide cooperation of different branches of science and industry organizations it is very possible to use the accumulated potential for launching of nano - vehicles during the upcoming years.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"67 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124339912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Millon, J. Perrière, S. Tricot, C. Boulmer-Leborgne
ZnO is a wide and direct band-gap material (3.37 eV at room temperature) making this compound very suitable for UV photodetector applications as well as for UV and blue light emitting devices. As an electronic conductor, ZnO may be used as transparent and conducting electrodes for flat panel displays and solar cells. ZnO doped with various atoms can also lead to new or enhanced functional properties. For example, doping with Al, Ga, In, Si or H allows decreasing its resistivity to below 10-4 Ω.cm, while keeping the high optical transparency. Rare-earth doped ZnO thin films have been studied for optics and optoelectronics such as visible or infrared emitting devices, planar optical waveguide amplifiers. Ferromagnetic semiconductors can be obtained by doping ZnO with transition metal atoms (Mn, Co, Ni...) that could be used as spin injectors in spintronics. These new and exciting properties of pure and doped ZnO request the use of thin films or multilayer structures. ZnO thin film growth by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) with or without any dopants or alloyed atoms has been intensively studied. In this paper, we will review the aspects of ZnO thin films grown by PLD, in order to prepare dense, stoichiometric and crystalline epitaxied ZnO layers or to form nanocrystalline films. Then, the optical and electrical properties will be discussed with a special emphasis on the growth conditions in relation to the physical properties for applications in p-n junctions, light emission devices, spintronics and bandgap tuning.
ZnO是一种宽且直接的带隙材料(室温下为3.37 eV)，使该化合物非常适合用于紫外光电探测器以及紫外和蓝光发射器件。作为一种电子导体，氧化锌可以用作平板显示器和太阳能电池的透明导电电极。掺杂不同原子的ZnO也可以导致新的或增强的功能特性。例如，掺杂Al, Ga, In, Si或H可以将其电阻率降低到10-4以下Ω。Cm，同时保持高的光学透明度。稀土掺杂ZnO薄膜已被研究用于光学和光电子器件，如可见光或红外发射器件，平面光波导放大器。通过在ZnO中掺杂过渡金属原子(Mn, Co, Ni…)可以得到铁磁性半导体，这些过渡金属原子可以用作自旋注入剂。纯氧化锌和掺杂氧化锌的这些令人兴奋的新特性要求使用薄膜或多层结构。采用脉冲激光沉积法(PLD)生长ZnO薄膜已经得到了广泛的研究。在本文中，我们将回顾PLD生长ZnO薄膜的各个方面，以便制备致密，化学计量和结晶的ZnO外延层或形成纳米晶薄膜。然后，将讨论光学和电学性质，并特别强调与pn结、发光器件、自旋电子学和带隙调谐应用的物理性质相关的生长条件。
{"title":"Pulsed-laser deposition of ZnO and related compound thin films for optoelectronics","authors":"E. Millon, J. Perrière, S. Tricot, C. Boulmer-Leborgne","doi":"10.1117/12.785499","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.785499","url":null,"abstract":"ZnO is a wide and direct band-gap material (3.37 eV at room temperature) making this compound very suitable for UV photodetector applications as well as for UV and blue light emitting devices. As an electronic conductor, ZnO may be used as transparent and conducting electrodes for flat panel displays and solar cells. ZnO doped with various atoms can also lead to new or enhanced functional properties. For example, doping with Al, Ga, In, Si or H allows decreasing its resistivity to below 10-4 Ω.cm, while keeping the high optical transparency. Rare-earth doped ZnO thin films have been studied for optics and optoelectronics such as visible or infrared emitting devices, planar optical waveguide amplifiers. Ferromagnetic semiconductors can be obtained by doping ZnO with transition metal atoms (Mn, Co, Ni...) that could be used as spin injectors in spintronics. These new and exciting properties of pure and doped ZnO request the use of thin films or multilayer structures. ZnO thin film growth by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) with or without any dopants or alloyed atoms has been intensively studied. In this paper, we will review the aspects of ZnO thin films grown by PLD, in order to prepare dense, stoichiometric and crystalline epitaxied ZnO layers or to form nanocrystalline films. Then, the optical and electrical properties will be discussed with a special emphasis on the growth conditions in relation to the physical properties for applications in p-n junctions, light emission devices, spintronics and bandgap tuning.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121130242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V. Puech, G. Bauville, B. Lacour, J. Santos Sousa, L. Pitchford, M. Touzeau
This paper discusses the possibility of producing high concentrations of O2(a1Δg) states at pressures up to atmospheric in rare-gas/oxygen/NO mixtures by using micro-plasmas. Micro-plasmas refer to electric discharges created in very small geometries which have been proven able to operate in DC mode at high pressure and high power loading without undergoing any glow to arc transition. The so-called Micro Cathode Sustained Discharge (MCSD), which is a three-electrode configuration using a Micro Hollow Cathode Discharge (MHCD) as a plasma cathode, can be operated as a non-self-sustained discharge with low values of the reduced electric field and of the gas temperature. As a result, these MCSDs can efficiently generate large amounts of singlet delta oxygen. In Ar/O2/NO mixtures, at an oxygen partial pressure of 10 mbar, high values of O2(a1Δg) number density (1.5 1016 cm-3) and of the production yield (6.7 %) can be simultaneously obtained. For lower O2 partial pressure, yields higher than 10 % have been measured. In He/O2/NO mixtures, O2(a1Δg) number densities around 1016 cm-3 were achieved at atmospheric pressure for flow rates in the range 5-30 ln/mn, which could give rise to new applications.
{"title":"Micro-plasmas as efficient generators of singlet delta oxygen","authors":"V. Puech, G. Bauville, B. Lacour, J. Santos Sousa, L. Pitchford, M. Touzeau","doi":"10.1117/12.781830","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.781830","url":null,"abstract":"This paper discusses the possibility of producing high concentrations of O2(a1Δg) states at pressures up to atmospheric in rare-gas/oxygen/NO mixtures by using micro-plasmas. Micro-plasmas refer to electric discharges created in very small geometries which have been proven able to operate in DC mode at high pressure and high power loading without undergoing any glow to arc transition. The so-called Micro Cathode Sustained Discharge (MCSD), which is a three-electrode configuration using a Micro Hollow Cathode Discharge (MHCD) as a plasma cathode, can be operated as a non-self-sustained discharge with low values of the reduced electric field and of the gas temperature. As a result, these MCSDs can efficiently generate large amounts of singlet delta oxygen. In Ar/O2/NO mixtures, at an oxygen partial pressure of 10 mbar, high values of O2(a1Δg) number density (1.5 1016 cm-3) and of the production yield (6.7 %) can be simultaneously obtained. For lower O2 partial pressure, yields higher than 10 % have been measured. In He/O2/NO mixtures, O2(a1Δg) number densities around 1016 cm-3 were achieved at atmospheric pressure for flow rates in the range 5-30 ln/mn, which could give rise to new applications.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121705865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Multicomponent noble metal nanoparticles were synthesized using a novel laser-assisted dry processing approach. Combining attributes from conventional pulsed laser deposition and matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, nanoparticles of Au-Ag and Au-Ag-Pd were deposited on Si substrates and electron microscopy grids from metal precursors. The mean diameter of Au-Ag particles was approximately 2.8 nm, while that of Au-Ag-Pd particles was approximately 2.2 nm. Significant compositional non-uniformity was observed in deposited particles and is attributed to the inhomogeneity of the target solutions and the decomposition behavior of the selected material systems.
{"title":"Synthesis of multimetallic nanoparticles using a solution-based pulsed laser deposition approach","authors":"A. Sellinger, T. Aburada, J. Fitz-Gerald","doi":"10.1117/12.784566","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.784566","url":null,"abstract":"Multicomponent noble metal nanoparticles were synthesized using a novel laser-assisted dry processing approach. Combining attributes from conventional pulsed laser deposition and matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, nanoparticles of Au-Ag and Au-Ag-Pd were deposited on Si substrates and electron microscopy grids from metal precursors. The mean diameter of Au-Ag particles was approximately 2.8 nm, while that of Au-Ag-Pd particles was approximately 2.2 nm. Significant compositional non-uniformity was observed in deposited particles and is attributed to the inhomogeneity of the target solutions and the decomposition behavior of the selected material systems.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126740622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Z. B. Wang, W. Guo, B. Luk’yanchuk, A. Pena, L. Li, Z. Liu
Ablation with nanoscale spatial resolution needs special tools to overcome conventional diffraction limit. A few methods have been successfully applied for this purpose. These include: surface nanostructuring by laser illuminated tip; Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) nano-patterning; Surface nano-processing based on optical resonances and near-field effects with transparent particles as well as the field enhancement by plasmonic nanoparticles. All these methods permit localized laser ablation on the scale beyond 100 nm. In this paper we report our recent work related to field enhancement by laser illuminated tip, near-field laser ablation with transparent particles and field enhancement by plasmonic effects.
{"title":"Laser ablation on nanoscales","authors":"Z. B. Wang, W. Guo, B. Luk’yanchuk, A. Pena, L. Li, Z. Liu","doi":"10.1117/12.780065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.780065","url":null,"abstract":"Ablation with nanoscale spatial resolution needs special tools to overcome conventional diffraction limit. A few methods have been successfully applied for this purpose. These include: surface nanostructuring by laser illuminated tip; Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) nano-patterning; Surface nano-processing based on optical resonances and near-field effects with transparent particles as well as the field enhancement by plasmonic nanoparticles. All these methods permit localized laser ablation on the scale beyond 100 nm. In this paper we report our recent work related to field enhancement by laser illuminated tip, near-field laser ablation with transparent particles and field enhancement by plasmonic effects.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133944147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The absolute absorption and stimulated emission cross-sections, including the effects of hyperfine splitting and pressure broadening at low to moderate pressures are computed and compared with experimental results. The comparison is excellent and requires no fit parameters. An analysis of the degree to which the lineshape can be approximated by a single Lorentzian profile is provided as a function of background pressure.
{"title":"Pressure broadening of the D1 and D2 lines in diode pumped alkali lasers","authors":"G. Pitz, G. Perram","doi":"10.1117/12.782876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.782876","url":null,"abstract":"The absolute absorption and stimulated emission cross-sections, including the effects of hyperfine splitting and pressure broadening at low to moderate pressures are computed and compared with experimental results. The comparison is excellent and requires no fit parameters. An analysis of the degree to which the lineshape can be approximated by a single Lorentzian profile is provided as a function of background pressure.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"148 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116567027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Michaelis, A. Forbes, R. Bingham, B. Kellett, A. Mathye
A variety of laser applications in space, past, present, future and far future are reviewed together with the contributions of some of the scientists and engineers involved, especially those that happen to have South African connections. Historically, two of the earliest laser applications in space, were atmospheric LIDAR and lunar ranging. These applications involved atmospheric physicists, several astronauts and many of the staff recruited into the Soviet and North American lunar exploration programmes. There is a strong interest in South Africa in both LIDAR and lunar ranging. Shortly after the birth of the laser (and even just prior) theoretical work on photonic propulsion and space propulsion by laser ablation was initiated by Georgii Marx, Arthur Kantrowitz and Eugen Saenger. Present or near future experimental programs are developing in the following fields: laser ablation propulsion, possibly coupled with rail gun or gas gun propulsion; interplanetary laser transmission; laser altimetry; gravity wave detection by space based Michelson interferometry; the de-orbiting of space debris by high power lasers; atom laser interferometry in space. Far future applications of laser-photonic space-propulsion were also pioneered by Carl Sagan and Robert Forward. They envisaged means of putting Saenger's ideas into practice. Forward also invented a laser based method for manufacturing solid antimatter or SANTIM, well before the ongoing experiments at CERN with anti-hydrogen production and laser-trapping. SANTIM would be an ideal propellant for interstellar missions if it could be manufactured in sufficient quantities. It would be equally useful as a power source for the transmission of information over light year distances. We briefly mention military lasers. Last but not least, we address naturally occurring lasers in space and pose the question: "did the Big Bang lase?"
{"title":"Lasers in space","authors":"M. Michaelis, A. Forbes, R. Bingham, B. Kellett, A. Mathye","doi":"10.1117/12.784656","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.784656","url":null,"abstract":"A variety of laser applications in space, past, present, future and far future are reviewed together with the contributions of some of the scientists and engineers involved, especially those that happen to have South African connections. Historically, two of the earliest laser applications in space, were atmospheric LIDAR and lunar ranging. These applications involved atmospheric physicists, several astronauts and many of the staff recruited into the Soviet and North American lunar exploration programmes. There is a strong interest in South Africa in both LIDAR and lunar ranging. Shortly after the birth of the laser (and even just prior) theoretical work on photonic propulsion and space propulsion by laser ablation was initiated by Georgii Marx, Arthur Kantrowitz and Eugen Saenger. Present or near future experimental programs are developing in the following fields: laser ablation propulsion, possibly coupled with rail gun or gas gun propulsion; interplanetary laser transmission; laser altimetry; gravity wave detection by space based Michelson interferometry; the de-orbiting of space debris by high power lasers; atom laser interferometry in space. Far future applications of laser-photonic space-propulsion were also pioneered by Carl Sagan and Robert Forward. They envisaged means of putting Saenger's ideas into practice. Forward also invented a laser based method for manufacturing solid antimatter or SANTIM, well before the ongoing experiments at CERN with anti-hydrogen production and laser-trapping. SANTIM would be an ideal propellant for interstellar missions if it could be manufactured in sufficient quantities. It would be equally useful as a power source for the transmission of information over light year distances. We briefly mention military lasers. Last but not least, we address naturally occurring lasers in space and pose the question: \"did the Big Bang lase?\"","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"7005 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130418951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT) is an innovative photon thruster that amplifies photon thrust by orders of magnitude by exploiting an active resonant optical cavity formed between two mirrors on paired spacecraft. PLT is predicted to be able to provide the thrust to power ratio (T/P) approaching that of conventional thrusters, such as laser ablation thrusters and electrical thrusters. Yet, PLT has the highest Isp of 3x107 sec, which is orders of magnitude larger than that of other conventional thrusters. We have demonstrated the photon thrust amplification in PLT for the first time. The T/P obtained with an OC mirror with R= 0.99967±0.00002 was 20±1 μN/W, and the maximum photon thrust obtained was 35 μN, resulting in an apparent photon thrust amplification factor of 2,990±150. Scaling-up of PLT is promising, and PLT is predicted to enable wide ranges of space endeavors. Low thrust (TkN) PLTs may enable propelling spacecraft at speeds orders of magnitude greater than that by conventional thrusters.
{"title":"First demonstration of photonic laser thruster (PLT)","authors":"Y. Bae","doi":"10.1117/12.782595","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.782595","url":null,"abstract":"Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT) is an innovative photon thruster that amplifies photon thrust by orders of magnitude by exploiting an active resonant optical cavity formed between two mirrors on paired spacecraft. PLT is predicted to be able to provide the thrust to power ratio (T/P) approaching that of conventional thrusters, such as laser ablation thrusters and electrical thrusters. Yet, PLT has the highest Isp of 3x107 sec, which is orders of magnitude larger than that of other conventional thrusters. We have demonstrated the photon thrust amplification in PLT for the first time. The T/P obtained with an OC mirror with R= 0.99967±0.00002 was 20±1 μN/W, and the maximum photon thrust obtained was 35 μN, resulting in an apparent photon thrust amplification factor of 2,990±150. Scaling-up of PLT is promising, and PLT is predicted to enable wide ranges of space endeavors. Low thrust (T<N) PLTs may enable nanometer precision spacecraft formation for forming ultralarge space telescopes and radars, and provide economically viable solution to Fractionated Spacecraft Architecture, the System F-6. Medium thrust (N<T<kN) PLTs may enable precision propellantless orbit changing and docking. High thrust (T>kN) PLTs may enable propelling spacecraft at speeds orders of magnitude greater than that by conventional thrusters.","PeriodicalId":249315,"journal":{"name":"High-Power Laser Ablation","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116974377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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