Lasing on the electronic B--X transition of the I/sub 2/ molecule optically pumped by a copper-vapor laser

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:7035617

Kaslin, V M; Petrash, G G; Yakushev, O F

It is proposed to use pulsed metal-vapor lasers for optical pumping of gas lasers based on electronic transitions of molecules. This uncovers prospects for the development of effective lasers with high average and peak power, which are tunable in the visible and in the infrared. The first step in this direction are experiments on optical pumping of molecular iodine by a copper-vapor laser (lambda=5106 and 5782 A). Results of spectroscopic investigations are reported. It was found that the pumping is by five absorption lines of the X/sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/-B/sup 3/Pi/sub 0//sup +//sub u/ system of the I/sub 2/ molecule, three of which give rise to lasing. The principal pumping was by the 5782 A line. Lasing was obtained on 14 vibrational transitions of the B/sup 3/Pi/sub 0//sup +//sub u/X/sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/ system in the region 1.016--1.342 ..mu..m region. The average generation power in the multifrequency regime was 7 mW at an optical-energy conversion efficiency 4%. It was observed that a noticeable competition takes place between the pump channels of the 5106 and 5782 A lines, and leads to a decrease in the total lasing power. Prospects are discussed of using gas lasers on electronic transitions of molecules optically pumped by metal-vapor vapors, particularly for the development of frequency-tunable optical systems with intensity amplifiers.

• Research Organization: P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences
• OSTI ID: 7035617
• Journal Information: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 51:4; ISSN SPHJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
COPPER
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FREQUENCY CONTROL
GAS LASERS
HALOGENS
IODINE
LASERS
METALS
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PUMPING
PUMPING
RADIATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VISIBLE RADIATION