Letters to the editor

Photodissociation laser utilizing the fine-structure ²P_1/2→²P_3/2 electronic transition in the chlorine atom

V. Ch. Bokun, E. B. Gordon, L. N. Krasnoperov, S. A. Sotnichenko, A. I. Chichinin


Abstract: Stimulated radiation as a result of the ²P_1/2→²P_3/2 transition in the chlorine atom (formed by photodissociation of the ICl molecule) was generated for the first time. A study was made of the dependence of the laser radiation (λ=11.35μ) energy on the pump energy and on the ICl pressure. Measurements were made of the gain g≈(2.5 ± 0.5)×10^–3cm^–1 and of the laser radiation energy E≈1 mJ. The results demonstrated the important role played by the processes of chemical "clearing" (depopulation) of the lower active level and of the recombination of atoms in the course of population inversion and recovery of the active medium by the time of arrival of the next pulse. Estimates were obtained of the rate constant of the spin-orbit relaxation of the Cl*(²P_1/2) atoms because of interaction with CF₂Cl₂,H₂,D₂,Cl₂,O₂, and rare gases.

UDC: 621.373.826.038.823

PACS: 42.55.Ks, 42.60.Lh, 32.10.Fn, 32.80.Bx

Received: 18.03.1986

 English version: Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1986, 16:7, 866–867

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