| Popis: |
Solid state pulsed laser systems are of interest for industrial applications. Flashlamps are an effective method for pumping solid state pulsed laser systems. Flashlamp lifetime is hard to quantify past the specification provided by the manufacture and is of concern for applications that are not used or tested on a frequent basis. The flashlamp lifetime can be shortened by three main failure modes: manufacturing quality escapes, shipping and handling damage, and shelf life. Manufacturing and shipping failure modes will be the focus of this research. Manufacturing and shipping failure modes are hard to detect, beyond the obvious non-functioning flashlamp, without testing to failure, which is not a feasible option. A method is being proposed that can estimate the lifetime of flashlamps as well as other key characteristics of the flashlamp while a relatively low number of shots are taken with the flashlamp. Fill pressure and fill gas will be determined by monitoring the input voltage, current, and output spectrum with comparison to the arc length, bore diameter, wall thickness and electrode configuration. Flashlamp lifetime estimations will be determined by monitoring the current, wavelength shift, and output intensity. Experimental results will be discussed focusing on the characteristics and lifetime estimations of flashlamps. |
