REMARKS RELATED TO FBI LETTER DATED 15 DECEMBER 1965

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP68R00530A000200030001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 17, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 30, 1965
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/07/ RI IO b053OA000200030001-2
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3 0 DEC 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Science and Technology
SUBJECT: Remarks Related to FBI Letter
Dated 15 December 1965
1. As far as is known no laser exists at this
time, either in the US or any other country, capable of
producing one billion joules of energy. The largest
laser energy output known in the US as of December 1965
was Efforts to increase this
energy output are underway, and lasers capable-of a
billion joules output are considered feasible provided
numerous extremely difficult problems can be solved.
2. Even if a billion joule pulsed laser existed,
its operation would not result in a blackout such as
occurred in northeastern United States on November 9,
1965. Although a large amount of pulsed energy would
be required to pump such a laser, no sudden drain on
the power system would be experienced. The capacitor
bank used to pump the laser could be charged over a
relatively long period of time. Similarly, the discharge
of the capacitor bank at the instant of laser "firing"
would not cause any disruption of the power network
because the "firing" circuit would be isolated from the
charging circuit.
3. There is no known way of converting a laser
beam into massive energy in space capable of destroying
missiles or space vehicles. The laser beam would have
to strike the vehicle or warhead in order to destroy it.
Accomplishing this, in Itself, involves problems of
pointing, tracking and transmitting a laser beam over
ranges in excess of 100 kilometers (62 miles).
4. It is possible that the reference to "Fireball"
is related to the phenomenon seen over the northern US
TOP SECRET'
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SUBJECT: Remarks Related to FBI Letter Dated
15 December 1965
on December 9, 1965. This phenomenon was, from all
available information a meteor. There is a possi-
bility that the November 9th and December 9th dates
were incorrectly related.
5. The laser program at the Physics Institute
imcni P. N. Lebedev, AS-USSR, Moscow, appears to be
concerned primarily with the physics aspects of
lasers; that is, with the study of the various kinds
of lasers themselves and with their characteristics
and effects. As leaders of the laser program at this
institute, A. M. Prokhorov and N. G. Basov also are
concerned primarily *ith the study of lasers rather
than with the direct application of lasers. Basov,
for example, has devoted a considerable amount of
his time during the past two years to the study of
semiconductor lasers, particularly to methods of
pumping these lasers (optical pumping by ruby lasers
and electron beam pumping). He has obtained 30 kw
output with a 3 Mw/cm laser beam-and has claimer:
laser action in semiconductor materials using a 50 kv,
1 jr,sec, 50/sec electron beam.
6. During the same period Prokhorov has had a
str-)ng interest in the production of a very high
temperature plasma by gas breakdown using lasers and
is leader of a fairly large Soviet research program
in this area of laser research. The laser used by
Prokhorov was in the 1-2 joule range with pulses of
30 nanoseconds (30 x 10-9 seconds) duration.
Prokhorov has reported results indicating temperatures
considerably in excess of one million degrees Kelvin.
This is not yet in the area of any direct importance
to weapons applications. Prokhorov's work could be
connected with controlled thermonuclear studies. The
significance of his work is mainly characterizing
what goes on in discharges and plasmas produced by
very intense focused laser light. Much remains to be
learned by both the US and USSR in this area of research.
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SUBJECT: Remarks Related to FBI Letter Dated
15 December 1965
7. While the Lebedev Physics Institute is
recognized as a basic research facility, the possi-
bility of its involvement in aclassified laser
weapons program exists, of course. Likewise, Basov
and Prokhorov could be acting as consultants to a
military laser program, but it appears highly unlikely
that they are spending the major portion of their
time in military work. They have published regularly
in the non-military fields noted above and have read
papers on these subjects at important international
quantum electronics conferences during the past few
years; for example, at Paris in 1963, and at Puerto
Rico in 1965.
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DONALD F. CHAMBERLAIN
Director of Scientific Intelligence
Distribution.:
Orig & 1 ?- Fwd
2 - D/0S
1 - GSD/SI
OS I /GSD/P&E
(29 Dec 65)
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