Observation of laser action in CO gas excited only by fission fragments
Abstract
We report the first clear observation of laser action in a medium excited only by fission fragments. CO gas at 77 °K and pressure ≈100 Torr was excited by fission fragments from enriched 235U3O8 foils, which were irradiated with neutrons from a fast-burst reactor. The laser signal was ≳103 times the fluorescence signal, disappeared if the laser output mirror was misaligned, and had a very sharp onset and fall. The measured laser pulse energy was 10 times the maximum possible fluorescence energy.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- February 1975
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.88110
- Bibcode:
- 1975ApPhL..26..187M
- Keywords:
-
- Carbon Monoxide Lasers;
- Fission Products;
- Pumping;
- Uranium 235;
- Fluorescence;
- Neutron Beams;
- Nuclear Reactors;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Uranium Oxides;
- Lasers and Masers;
- 42.60.Cz;
- 28.50.-k;
- Fission reactor types