An electronic transition chemical laser

Abstract

Cw laser action was achieved on the ²P_1/2→²P_3/2 transition of the iodine atom by energy transfer from the ¹Δ metastable state of O₂. The excited oxygen was generated chemically by flowing chlorine gas through a basic solution of 90% H₂O₂. The effluent from the oxygen generator was mixed with molecular iodine at the entrance of a longitudinal flow laser cavity where the I₂ was dissociated by a small amount of O₂(¹Σ) that was present in the flow due to energy pooling processes. The measured output power was greater than 4 mW.