Chemical pumping of the water vapor laser. I

Abstract

Flash photolysis of mixtures of O2/H2O/O3 leads to lasing at 357.53 cm−1. Emission at this wavenumber coincides with that of the strongest line that is observed from both the pulsed and cw water vapor discharge laser. Accordingly it is assigned to the (001)633– (020)550 transition in water. The pumping scheme O3→hνO(1D)+O2(1Δg), (1); O(1D)+O2(3Σ−g) →O2(1Σ+g)+O(3P), (2); O2(1Σ+g)+H2O→O2(1Δg)+H2O†, (3), where H2O† subsequently lases, is consistent with all the experimental observations. Computer modeling of this sequence of reactions reproduces both the observed pulse’s profile and its onset delay after flash initiation.