A CO chemical laser utilizing combustor‐generated CS and S is described. The combustor is fueled with NF3‐CH4‐H2‐CS2 and produces CS and S and the side products HF and N2. A common supersonic expansion mixing nozzle is used to extract the CS and S from the combustor and mix O2 and diluent (N2 or He) into the flow stream. A chain reaction between CS and O2 in the mixed flow stream, initiated by S atoms, produces vibrationally excited CO. The maximum power obtained from the laser was 700 W operating with He in a free expansion. Pressure and temperature measurements of the supersonic flow stream are compared with the results of a one‐dimensional fluid‐dynamics model, and the results of mass‐spectrometric sampling are presented. It is concluded that the power extraction efficiency could be greatly improved by operation of the laser with either a combustor fuel–oxidizer combination that does not produce HF or an improved supersonic mixing nozzle. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that the output power of this device scales with mass flowrate.

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1979
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