A nuclear pumped laser is a laser pumped with the energy of fission fragments. The lasing medium is enclosed in a tube lined with uranium-235 and subjected to high neutron flux in a nuclear reactor core. The fission fragments of the uranium create excited plasma with inverse population of energy levels, which then lases. Other methods, eg. the He-Ar laser, can use the He(n,p)H reaction, the transmutation of helium-3 in a neutron flux, as the energy source, or employing the energy of the alpha particles.

This technology may achieve high excitation rates with small laser volumes.

The lasing mediums can be eg. carbon dioxide, ³helium-argon, ³helium-krypton, ³helium-xenon/

External links

• IPPE: Principle of operation of nuclear pumped laser - contains a diagram
• Abstract: Nuclear pumped laser II

Lasers | Nuclear technology