Abstract

Chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) is the only chemical laser which oscillates by electronic transitions of iodine atoms I*. The energy is transferred from excited oxygen CÇ (’Δ) generated through the chemical reaction: ${\text{H}}_2{\text{O}}_2+2{\text{N}}_{\text{a}}\text{OH}+{\text{Cl}}_2\to O_2^{*}+2{\text{N}}_{\text{a}}{\text{Cl+2H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}$. COIL is essentially suitable for material processing because of (a) highpower emission possibility' based on its chemical reaction, (b) high-quality beam due to the low pressure gas laser medium, (c) low transmission loss in optical fiber due to wavelength of 1.3 μιη, and (d) large energy absorption on material due to the short wavelength.

© 1994 Optical Society of America