Spatial–temporal radiation distribution in a CuBr vapor brightness amplifier in a real laser monitor scheme

The non-uniform gain of the active media is a significant issue in terms of optimizing the beam profile and ensuring image quality of the laser monitor. In this paper, a study of the radial distribution of radiation in copper bromide brightness amplifiers in real schemes of laser monitors is presented. The radial distribution of radiation in a two-pass parallel beam amplified by a brightness amplifier is compared with the radiation distribution in a beam that carries an image in conventional and mirror-imaging laser monitors. The results demonstrate that for metal vapor gain media operated at low concentration of the working substance vapors, the appropriate choice of imaging optics can partially or completely uniform image intensity profile. In case of remote laser monitoring, the intensity dip at the center of the amplified beam completely disappears in the mirror-imaging laser monitor up to a distance of 2 m from the brightness amplifier. This observation range is sufficient for most tasks in the study of the combustion of energetic materials.