Characteristics of the electron beam pumped iodine monofluoride laser

Electron beam pumping of Ar/CF3I/NF3 mixtures yields optical pulse lengths approximately 0.5 microsec from iodine monofluoride. Laser efficiency in this system is approximately 0.04 percent. Laser performance is limited by the formation of molecular iodine. The formation of molecular iodine in the excited state reduces the number of iodine atoms available to form excited-state IF. In the ground state, molecular iodine absorbs the excited-state IF laser emission at 485 and 491 nm.