High-pressure gas lasers on Ar I, Xe I, and Kr I transitions

Near Infrared Gas Lasers

“…Power profiles obtained by increasing Xe bulk quenching rate by argon to 4xl0-l2 cm 3 sec-Compare with Figure 47. 1133…”

On the possibility of developing quasi-CW high-power high-pressure laser on 4p–4s transition of ArI with electron beam—optical pumping: quenching of 4s (3P2) lower laser level

“…Optical pumping was accomplished with a laser diode via allowed optical transition 4p[5/2] 3 -4s[3/2] 2 with a large oscillator strength and the wavelength of 811.5 nm that is relatively close to the laser wavelength. In [1][2][3][4], pumping of high-pressure gain medium by an electric discharge imposed fundamental limitations on the maximum values of excited volume and pump pulse width. Indeed, their increase over tens of cubic centimeters and tens of nanoseconds, respectively, lead to the development in rare gas mixtures of various, primarily ionization, instabilities because of particular structure of rare gas atomic levels (small energy gap between the lowest excited states and ionization potential), which results in rapid discharge contraction.…”

“…A high-pressure He-Ar gas laser at the 4p[1/2] 1 -4s[3/2] 0 2 ArI transition with the lasing wavelength of 912.5 nm was for the first time launched more than forty years ago [1]. This laser pumped by a fast high-voltage subnanosecond electric discharge is a classical representative of lasers on 'self-terminating transitions' and has a very low lasing efficiency.…”

Near infrared lasing transitions in Ar, Kr, and Xe atoms pumped by a coaxial e-beam

“…It was shown in 1963 that a high gain is possible in a tube filled with Xe at a low pressure [1]. A decade later the pulsed atomic rare gas lasers gained attention again as it was shown that they could work at atmospheric pressures as well [2][3][4]. Recently Basov et al [-5] reported a total efficiency of over 3% for an Ar:Xe laser pumped by a long pulse e-beam sustained system at a total gas pressure of 3.5 bar.…”

“…Each gas mixture contained a low content of either Ar, Kr, and Xe as the lasing gas diluted in either Ar, Ne or He as a buffer gas. To our knowledge only Chapovsky et al [4] worked at such a high pressure but in a capacitively coupled discharge system. Our results are, however, an order of magnitude better.…”