Recombination pumped atomic nitrogen and carbon afterglow lasers

Microwave quenching experiments have shown conclusively that the afterglow lasers are being pumped directly by the recombination of electron-ion pairs. This result differs from the mechanisms previously proposed for these systems. Measurements comparing the relative sensitivity to the electron temperature of the neon to atomic nitrogen and carbon afterglow light infer that the recombination process pumping these lasers is collisional-radiative, allowing the recombining ions to be identified as N(+) and C(+). Since this process is highly compatible with nuclear-radiation generated plasmas, it is not unreasonable to infer that this process is also the pumping mechanism in the nuclear-excited, neon-nitrogen laser.