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PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Russian R&D Institute "Platan "seeks partners for realization of investment projects, based on different applications of electron-beam-pumped-semiconductor laser (EBPL)

Automated system for optical (shadow, interference) measurements of transient processes in gas dynamics, ballistics, plasmas, explosion and collision mechanics, physics of electric breakdown

The proposal is aimed at development of new-generation equipment designed to perform optical measurements of transient processes. Such equipment provides recording of objects or processes on a vidicon screen with super-high resolution of 3õ10-9 sec, data transfer to computer memory, processing, and displaying information on a public screen.

A main distinctive feature of the project is in development of the automated system that enables prompt visualization and processing of experimental results on flows and interactions between media and objects moving with the speed up to 10-15 km/sec, and a course of transient processes of 10-9 sec, with no intermediate steps of photoprocessing of shadow and interference images. The usage of the system will reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of experimental and engineering works.

The system is expected to be most efficient during development of aerodynamic properties of new-generation vehicles at hypersonic and supersonic speeds when physical-chemical transformational updating of shape, geometrical dimensions and operating conditions of aero-space gas-turbine engines, as well.

The system can be widely used in development of:

- gas-turbine engines and high-pressure compressor plants,

- devices and sets using plasmas as a working tool for cutting, welding, etching, and sputtering,

- high-voltage and pulse devices and equipment operating under the conditions of electric discharge and breakdown,

- configuration of ballistic objects moving at hypersonic and supersonic speeds.

Comparison with analogs. In the world practice of gas-dynamics and ballistics researches the optical methods (shadow, interference) are commonly used which do not produce changes in an environment measured. Those methods are based on short-exposure photo-recording of the environment by using short pulse light sources (gas discharge, laser). They have a number of serious drawbacks caused by imperfection of light sources and recording methods. particularly:

- gas-discharge lamps have long light flash (>70 nsec).

- laser pulse sources cause significant distortion (speckle background) because of high emission coherence.

- photographic recording hinders the automatic processing of the results observed.

The authors propose to use in the system their unique nanosecond light-pulse laser emitter of up to 10 MW power and NDTV (2500 lines) system to record images and to enter data into computer memory for subsequent processing.

The new emitter - an electron-beam-pumped semiconductor laser - possesses the unique features in terms of visualization of processes. It has very short pulses (3 nsec). A rather wide spectral range illumination of the active area. At the same time, a spectral range is rather narrow thus no light filters or monochromators are required in interference devices: resolution in interference stripes is limited by resolution of interferometer's receiving part only.. The outstanding prospects for plasma researches are offered by possibility to obtain emission at several wavelengths simultaneously by using a single emitter. New-generation vidicons with the resolution of 2500 lines per 30 mm provide 30-50 line/mm resolution corresponding to that of photographic optics.

The usage of the short-pulse electron-beam-pumped semiconductor laser as illuminator and NDTV recording along with modern computers enables one to visualize and process the experimental results promptly.

Degree of mastering. Development are the main functional units of the complex: electron-beam-pumped semiconductor laser emitter, high-resolution vidicon and picture tube. IAB-462 interference device with a large active area, data processing and control system. Development works on concrete applications were done for each device. The pilot semiconductor emitter was tested on a ballistic way with the visualization on a photographic film. The tests were conducted in gas-dynamics laboratories of A.F. Ioffe Physics-Technics (FIT) Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences and in Mechanics Research Institute of Moscow State University. Techniques of experimental studies of electronic processing of results obtained in ballistics experiments have been tested and are currently applied in A.F. Ioffe FIT and on a ballistic way in KHIMMASH Research Institute.

Patentee's assertion. The key functional units and the laser emitter are asserted by Russian patents. The laser emitter is rewarded with the golden medal and diploma of the "Brussel-Eureca-96" 45-th World Invention Salon.

The most important measures to realize the project. Development and production of key system's units (controlled-delay emitter and image receiver) on the basis of the laser emitter and super-high resolution vidicon. Configuration of the system from an optical interferometer, timing system, and test chamber. Working out and issuance of design and technical documents.

This project is presented by the cooperation of R&D Institute "Platan" and Scientific-Production Firm "Gamma", LTD.

Contact person for this project - Dr. Igor M. Olikhov.

Mail Address: Talsinskaya 20/24, Stchelkovo, Moscow Region, 141100 Russia, Phone: +7 096/ 564-5226. E-mail: gammaf@mail.ru