OPTICAL HOMOGENEITY OF THE ACTIVE MEDIA O F CW CHEMICAL HF(DF) LASERS

The optical homogeneity of the active media of cw chemical lasers was investigated by interferometry. A study was made of how the optical qu ality of the active media was influenced by the characteristics of var ious configurations of nozzle arrays (classical nozzle-nozzle configur ation, configurations with discrete supply of the secondary fuel to th e supersonic channel, and those with radial expansion or with a honeyc omb structure). The dependences of the integral optical homogeneity cr iterion, the Strehl number, on the main operational parameters of a la ser were determined. The optical homogeneity of the active medium was reduced by intensification of the processes which improved the operati onal parameters.