Amplifications of atomic fluorine, nitrogen ion and XeF lasers
Abstract
A dilute fluorine plasma pumped by the ion-ion recombination of He2(+) and F(-) is operated as a pulsed amplifier. Two synchronously excited plasmas are produced by preionized discharges in an atmospheric electrical avalanche device switched by hydrogen thyratrons. Two principal outputs having wavelengths of 745 nm and 635 nm are obtained from the tube serving as an oscillator. These are dispersed so that they can be individually threaded through the second discharge. Calibrated attenuation of the beam from the oscillator subsequently injected into the amplifier provides data on the overall amplification ratio. From these data, effective saturation intensities of 1.2 and 4.5 kW/sq cm are found for the transitions at 745 and 635 nm, originating on the 3p4P5/20 and 3p4S3/20 states of metastable F, respectively. The corresponding small signal gains are found to be extremely high, reaching 0.44 and 0.31 per cm for the two transmissions, respectively. Similar experiments on the XeF and nitrogen ion laser are described.
- Publication:
-
Lasers 1981
- Pub Date:
- 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982lase.conf..980S
- Keywords:
-
- Ion Recombination;
- Laser Plasmas;
- Light Amplifiers;
- Nitrogen Lasers;
- Xenon Fluoride Lasers;
- Electron Avalanche;
- Electron Transitions;
- Energy Levels;
- Gas Ionization;
- Laser Outputs;
- Power Efficiency;
- Power Gain;
- Lasers and Masers