Locking of cw dye laser emission onto the wavelength of molecular fluorescence by intracavity gain: Example I/sub 2/
A cw dye laser can be locked onto wavelengths corresponding to iodine (I/sub 2/) fluorescence when the fluorescing samples are placed inside the dye laser cavity. The sensitivity of the dye laser to intracavity gains is analogous to its well-known sensitivity to intracavity losses. Gains as low as 0.0001 were detected. In particular, the 5145 A emission of an Ar/sup +/ laser was used to excite I/sub 2/ molecules inside of a tunable dye laser cavity to the v'=43, J'=12 and/or 16 level (s) of the B /sup 3/Piu-italic/sup +/ ground electronic state. The dye laser was then progressively tuned to stimulate emission to the v''=10--15,J''=11, 13 and or 15, 17 levels of the X/sup 1/ ..sigma..g-italic/sup +/ ground electronic state. The efficiency of the dye laser assisted I/sub 2/ laser was 1--2 orders of magnitude higher than for the Ar/sup +/ pumped cw I/sub 2/ laser. The locking of the dye laser to the I/sub 2/ fluorescence frequencies was found to be a function of the specific vibrational and rotational quantum numbers. When the dye laser is operated above threshold, spatial hole burning severely limits the fraction of the laser power locked onto I/sub 2/ fluorescence wavelengths.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
- OSTI ID:
- 5250249
- Journal Information:
- J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 73:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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