Detailed characteristics of a pulsed H2+F2 laser. 1: Experiment

Time-resolved spectra, small signal gain, and total pulse energy in pulsed, flash photolytically initiated HF lasers are presented for two compositions and three pressures of the lasers. The characteristic times for spectra are found to be much shorter than those for gain, a result that emphasizes the role of stimulated emission as a population transfer mechanism. Individual pulse durations decrease with pressure and fluorine concentration while peak intensities increase with pressure and fluorine concentration. Small signal gain results show that increasing pressure or fluorine concentration increases individual peak gain and decreases gain duration. Lasing durations and pulse energies are consistent with previous work.