What chemicals are used for a Chemical Laser? Recently I saw on a TLC a show about one of the United State’s Anti Nuke devices. It was a “Chemical Laser” mounted on a Jumbo Jet that would fly around and zap Nukes heading toward the US. The show made it seem that the high power laser was created by mixing the proper chemicals in the correct ratios and collecting, amplifying, and directing (just like normal lasers do) the photons created from the chemical reaction. They only listed 2 chemicals used in the reaction: Hydrogen and (I THINK) potassium.
I asked my MD (Doctor) sister about this and all she had to say was “Potassium Burns a Pretty Green.” Remind me not to go to her for medical advice…
Anyway, what chems are used, and in what ratios for this reaction? Does anyone have a URL Link to some resources?
A common chemical used is the welding gas acetylein (spelling, man that is mangled… but it will have to do for tonight), There are number of chemicals that can be employed. Most of them are pretty high energy hydrocarbons and an oxidizer.
The really big one they have been testing is the M.I.R.A.C.L
laser.
It is bigger than the one that has been in the news lately.
Try looking up THEL or Tactical High Energy Laser in google… that should get you plenty of references. That will probably find the one you are talking about if you look around a bit.
Not specifically about the military-league stuff, but nonetheless: this site tells you pretty much verything you ned to know, to build any type of laser, that it is generally possible for an average person at home to construct.