Metal oxidation laser

Experiments were conducted with the CO2-CH3N3 laser to determine if a chemical laser is feasible using a pumping scheme where energy released by photolysis of CH3N3 is used to create a population inversion in CO2. A metal oxide laser system was designed and constructed. The energy from an exothermic chemical reaction between a metal and an oxidizing gas was used to create a population inversion in the diatomic product molecules. The metal was vaporized using the exploding wire technique. The laser tube, resonant cavity, vacuum system, electrical control system and exploding wire circuit were designed and fabricated. Several experiments were performed using aluminum, copper and indium wire with oxygen gas. (Modified author abstract)