Abstract

Accurate 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of flowing-gas K DPAL is presented, taking into account ionization and ion–electron recombination processes, ambipolar diffusion of K ions, and electron heating. Whereas in a static K DPAL with He buffer gas, the neutral K atoms in the lasing medium are depleted by these processes, the depletion can be mitigated by application of gas flow. The lowest gas velocity necessary for effective operation of a laser with He buffer is ${\sim}{500}\;{\rm m/s}$, and is much higher than previously estimated [Opt. Express 25, 30793 (2017) [CrossRef]  ]. The predictions of the model for different ${\rm He}/{{\rm CH}_4}$ mixtures are presented and verified by comparing them with experimental results obtained at the Air Force Institute of Technology [“Kinetics of higher lying potassium states after excitation of the D₂ transition in the presence of helium,” dissertation (Air Force Institute of Technology, 2018)].

© 2020 Optical Society of America

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