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Description:
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The use of an optical fiber in a laser triggering system is described . The fiber transmits a high power ruby laser pulse which triggers a high voltage spark gap . The spark gap is a gas switch on a water dielectric Blumlein generator which is pulse charged by a three stage Marx bank . Typical operating parameters for the spark gap are : 2 cm gap , 2700 Torr pressure , Ar -N^ gas mixture , and a charging voltage of 200 kV . The single strand , 1 mm , quartz , optical fiber is selected specifically for high power transmission capability . Laser pulses of 4 MW are coupled into and transmitted by the fiber with no observed damage . The overall optical system transmission efficiency is 62 % . The triggering performance of the system is excellent in that switching delays of less than 10 ns and subnanosecond jitters are measured . |