What is chemical lasers?

Chemical lasers are a type of laser in which the active medium is a chemical reaction. They typically operate in the infrared wavelength range and are used in a variety of military and scientific applications. The most common types of chemical lasers are the hydrogen fluoride laser and the deuterium fluoride laser, which use chemical reactions involving hydrogen fluoride or deuterium fluoride gas to produce a laser output. These lasers have high beam quality and can deliver very high power levels, making them useful for applications such as missile defense and propulsion. However, they are also complex and expensive to operate, and require specialized facilities for their use. Chemical lasers have been largely supplanted by solid-state lasers and other types of lasers in recent years, but they remain an important tool for certain applications.