Chemical lasers are devices whose excited species are formed by a chemical reactions. Northrop Grumman has developed two types of chemical lasers – hydrogen fluoride/deuterium fluoride (HF/DF) and chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL). Both types of lasers have demonstrated significant power levels and are being or will be operated at megawatt-class output power. These types of lasers release their waste heat with their effluent and their beam quality is excellent.

In the HF(DF) chemical laser, fluorine atoms produced in a combustor are accelerated through supersonic nozzles into the laser cavity. There, under low-temperature, low-pressure conditions, the fluorine atoms are mixed and reacted with H2 or D2 to form excited HF* or DF* (an asterisk is used to denote an excited state). The stimulated emission of photons from these excited molecules by a suitable optical resonator, produces 2.7 microns and 3.8 microns radiation from HF* or DF*, respectively. HF has the shorter wavelength advantage, while DF propagates well through the atmosphere. Other Northrop Grumman high power DF lasers include MIRACL and NACL; the Northrop Grumman ALPHA laser is an HF device.

The chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) uses the reaction of chlorine gas with liquid basic hydrogen peroxide to produce electronically excited gas-phase oxygen molecules. The oxygen then transfers its energy to iodine atoms, which emit radiation at 1.315 microns. The Airborne Laser  uses a high-power COIL device.

Chemical lasers are devices whose excited species are formed by a chemical reactions. Northrop Grumman has developed two types of chemical lasers – hydrogen fluoride/deuterium fluoride (HF/DF) and chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL). Both types of lasers have demonstrated significant power levels and are being or will be operated at megawatt-class output power. These types of lasers release their waste heat with their effluent and their beam quality is excellent.