Dynamics of the N/sub 2/O laser as measured with a tunable-diode laser

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.2.000807· OSTI ID:5669745

Fox, K E; Reid, J

A tunable-diode laser operating in the 2120-2350-cm/sup -1/ wave number region is used to probe a conventional cw N/sub 2/O laser discharge. Absorption lines in more than 10 different vibrational bands are observed, enabling us to determine vibrational populations in all levels of concern to the dynamics of the 10-..mu..m N/sub 2/O laser. The populations in the three normal modes of vibration of N/sub 2/O are found to follow Boltzmann distributions, with the ..nu../sub 1/ and ..nu../sub 2/ modes maintaining a common vibrational temperature under all discharge conditions. The factors limiting the small-signal 10-..mu..m gain are investigated in detail, and it is found that electron deexcitation of the 00/sup 0/ 1 level is much more important than N/sub 2/O dissociation.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
• OSTI ID: 5669745
• Journal Information: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 2:5; ISSN JOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMPLIFICATION
CHALCOGENIDES
DE-EXCITATION
DISSOCIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL DENSITY
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GAIN
GAS DYNAMIC LASERS
GAS LASERS
INFRARED RADIATION
LASERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
OSCILLATION MODES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
POPULATION INVERSION
RADIATIONS
ROTATIONAL STATES
SATURATION
VIBRATIONAL STATES