Prelas M. Nuclear-Pumped Lasers

Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2016. – 480 p. – ISBN: 3319198440This book focuses on Nuclear-Pumped Laser (NPL) technology and provides the reader with a fundamental understanding of NPLs, a review of research in the field and exploration of large scale NPL system design and applications.
Early chapters look at the fundamental properties of lasers, nuclear-pumping and nuclear reactions that may be used as drivers for nuclear-pumped lasers. The book goes on to explore the efficient transport of energy from the ionizing radiation to the laser medium and then the operational characteristics of existing nuclear-pumped lasers. Models based on Mathematica, explanations and a tutorial all assist the reader’s understanding of this technology.
Later chapters consider the integration of the various systems involved in NPLs and the ways in which they can be used, including beyond the military agenda. As readers will discover, there are significant humanitarian applications for high energy/power lasers, such as deflecting asteroids, space propulsion, power transmission and mining.
This book will appeal to graduate students and scholars across diverse disciplines, including nuclear engineering, laser physics, quantum electronics, gaseous electronics, optics, photonics, space systems engineering, materials, thermodynamics, chemistry and physics.Introduction to Nuclear-Pumped Lasers
Nuclear-Pumped Lasers
Energy Input (Drivers)
Gain Medium
Three and Four Level Lasers
Power Buildup in a Laser
Fluorescence Experiments
Radiation Interaction with Matter
Fission Fragments
Alpha Particles
Beta Particles and Positrons
Neutrons
Gamma Rays
Scale Length Matching
Energy Deposition
Spatial Energy Distribution
Direct Energy Conversion Principles as Applied to Lasers
Surface Source
Volume Source
Multiphase Laser Systems
Contrasting the Surface Source, Volume Source and Multiphase Source
Energy Conversion
Nuclear Driven Flashlamps
Neutron Sources
Power Density
Nuclear-Pumped Lasers
Thermonuclear Explosion
Radioisotopes
NPL Research
Reactor and Laser Coupling
Engineering a Nuclear-Pumped Laser System
Laser Medium (Phase)
Phase of Fuel
Reactor/Laser Coupling
Reactor Criticality
Reactor/Nuclear-Pumped Laser System Designs
Applications
Strategic Defense Initiative
Laser Propulsion
Asteroid Deflection
Space Based Mining
Power Beaming
Near Term Applications of Nuclear-Pumped Laser Technology
Appendices
Neutron Cross Sections from Neutron Resonance Parameters and Thermal Cross Sections
Plasma Basics
Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution Function
Thermal Neutron Cross Sections for Some Elements and Compounds for 2200 m/s Neutron Speed