Cryosorption-pumped cw chemical laser

Abstract

A miniature cw chemical laser is described which can serve as a convenient multiline source in the ir. It employs condensible carrier gases with cryosorption pumping only (thus no moving parts) to deliver 300 and 200 mW, respectively, of HF and HCl radiation. Five laser reactions with a total of nine lines each of HCl and HF in the regions 2.6–3.0 and 3.6–4.0 μm, respectively, have been observed. For the F+CH₄ reaction (using SF₆ as the F atom source and carrier gas) most of the power extracted is in the P₁(4) line. For the Cl+HBr reaction, the full laser power is emitted in the P₁(5) line.