The first Gas Dynamic Laser was successfully operated at the Avco Everett Research Lab (1966)
Mode of working:
Hot gases expand through appropriately shaped nozzles from a high pressure, high temperature chamber into a low pressure chamber. This creates a highly non-equilibrium region were a strong population inversion takes place. Very high laser output power can be achieved. The diffuser is used to shock down the supersonic flow to subsonic speeds, then the gases are generally exhausted to the atmosphere.Uses:
Gas Dynamic Laser is used in drilling , cutting , welding , heat-treating and alloying. Some of these lasers are so powerful that beams emerging from the chamber could potentially destroy the optics. For a time the gasdynamic laser was seriously considered for use in the space based Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars program.