26.08.2015   Pumping

Nuclear Explosive Devices

Thanks to the high fluxes of nuclear radiation and the short pulse duration (~10 ns), when nuclear explosive devices are used it is possible to obtain high specific power depositions (q ~109 W/cm3 for gas NPLs). Laser media are pumped in this case basically by electromagnetic radiation in the X-ray and y-ray spectral range. Studies to develop NPLs using nuclear explosive devices were carried out up until 1987, when a ban was introduced on underground testing. The results of these experi­ments and possible applications of such NPLs are examined in Chap. 12.