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Nuclear-Pumped Lasers

1984; Springer Nature; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-1-4613-2687-8_3

0065-2989

R. T. Schneider, F. Höhl,

Atomic and Molecular Physics

Soon after demonstration of the first laser, the idea was brought forward to use nuclear energy for excitation of lasers. For pre-1970 reference literature see Ref. 1. This was in the early sixties and, at that time, no commercial size power reactors were in operation. Yet proposals to extract energy out of reactors in the form of light instead of heat were brought forward (1–14). This looks like a bad anachronism, especially considering the difficulties that beset nuclear power today. However, one has to remember that the attitudes of the sixties led to the golden years of research. At that time, one was convinced that the advance of technology could solve most problems for society, and it was only natural that one wanted to cover all opportunities.