Cw laser oscillation on transitions of Cd/sup +/ and Zn/sup +/ He--Cd halide and He--Zn halide discharges

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.323461· OSTI ID:7083861

Piper, J A; Brandt, M

Continuous-wave laser oscillation has been obtained on transitions of Cd/sup +/ in hollow-cathode He--CdI/sub 2/, He--CdCl/sub 2/, and He--CdBr/sub 2/ discharges, and on transitions of Zn/sup +/ in hollow-cathode He--ZnI/sub 2/, He--ZnCl/sub 2/, and He--ZnBr/sub 2/ discharges. Excitation of upper laser levels is attributed to thermal energy charge transfer or Penning reactions between helium ions or neutral metastables and neutral metal atoms generated in the discharge volume by electron collisional dissociation of the metal-halide molecules. The operating characteristics of each system are discussed and compared with those of hollow-cathode He--Cd and He--Zn lasers. The results of these experiments suggest that operation of cw metal-ion lasers at lower temperatures than are required for the elemental metal can be achieved by use of a volatile metal compound in place of the elemental metal.

• Research Organization: School of Mathematics and Physics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2113, Australia
• OSTI ID: 7083861
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 48:11; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ATOMIC IONS
BROMIDES
BROMINE COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM BROMIDES
CADMIUM CHLORIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM HALIDES
CADMIUM IODIDES
CADMIUM IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLLISIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FLUIDS
GAS LASERS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HELIUM
IODIDES
IODINE COMPOUNDS
IONS
LASERS
NONMETALS
OPERATION
PENNING EFFECT
POSITIVE COLUMN
RARE GASES
RECOMBINATION
THRESHOLD ENERGY
ZINC BROMIDES
ZINC CHLORIDES
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC HALIDES
ZINC IODIDES
ZINC IONS