Study of molecular lasers

This report describes research conducted at Cornell University on molecular and chemical laser systems. The objective of this work has been to provide precise, quantitative information concerning: the rates with which vibrational and rotational molecular energy in important laser molecules is transferred to other molecules, redistributed among the degrees of freedom of the same molecule or relaxed by collisions with molecules or atoms; the temperature dependence of these rates; conditions for rapidly generating high densities of electronically and/or vibrationally excited boron containing diatomics and triatomics; the rates of reaction between various boron hydrides and oxidizers to provide kinetic information relevant to new laser systems; homogeneous chemical reaction initiation by means of laser induced gas heating. The methodology employed consisted of laboratory experiments utilizing: laser induced fluorescence measurements; quantitative EPR determination of atom concentrations; optical double resonance experiments; laser heating with high energy carbon dioxide laser pulses coupled with chemiluminescence spectroscopy. Specific technical results obtained were as follows: (1) a new method for obtaining temperature dependent rates for atom deactivation of molecular vibration was devised; and (2) preliminary experimental results for laser ignited homogeneous chemical reactions of interest to high frequency lasers are described.