ISKRA lasers

The ISKRA-4 and ISKRA-5 lasers are lasers which were built by the Russian federation at RFNC-VNIIEF in Arzamas-16(Арзама́с-16) with the ~2Kj output ISKRA-4 laser being completed in 1979 and the ~30Kj output ISKRA-5 laser which was completed in 1989. The main use for both lasers being the investigation into inertial confinement fusion, high energy density physics and nuclear weapons research.

ISKRA-4

File:ISKRA-4 laser 8 beam target chamber.jpg

ISKRA-4 target chamber with final turning mirrors.

The ISKRA-4 laser is a spatially filtered (image relayed) 8 beam photolytically pumped iodine gas laser capable of producing laser pulse energies of around 2 Kj (pulsewidth of about 1 ns) at its fundamental emission wavelength of 1.315 microns, though it is also capable of operating in a frequency doubled configuration where it emits light at 658 nm with a pulse energy of around 500J. ISKRA-4 produced its first thermonuclear neutrons from imploding DT fuel capsules in 1981.

ISKRA-5

File:ISKRA-5 12 beam target chamber.jpg

The 2 meter diameter target chamber of ISKRA-5 with final focusing optics.

The ISKRA-5 laser is a spatially filtered (image relayed) 12 beam photolytically pumped iodine gas laser capable of producing laser pulse energies of around 30 Kj and peak pulse powers of around 100 terawatts (pulsewidth ~.25 ns) at its fundamental emission wavelength of 1.315 microns. ISKRA-5, like ISKRA-4, also has the capability for frequency doubling to the second harmonic. Maximum fusion yield on ISKRA-5 is about 10¹⁰ to 10¹¹ neutrons per target shot.

ISKRA-6

ISKRA-6 is a laser under investigation for future construction by VNIIEF which would be in the near-NIF and LMJ class of extremely high energy, high power frequency tripled Nd:glass lasers used to access the ignition regime of imploding DT fusion fuel capsules for nuclear weapons research. ISKRA-6 would be a 128 beam laser capable of irradiating targets with ~300 Kj of laser light at the 351 nm third harmonic with pulsewidths of around 1 to 3 ns.

See also

• Laser
• Arzamas-16
• List of laser types