Laser emission at 1.32 μm from atomic iodine produced by electrical dissociation of CF3I

Abstract

Laser emission on the I(²P_1/2) →I(²P_3/2) transition at 1.32 μm has been excited for the first time in an electrical discharge. A mixture of about 1% CF₃I in N₂ was excited in a uv‐initiated pulsed dicharge between planar electrodes. Iodine atoms in the upper and lower laser levels are generated by dissociative excitation of CF₃I molecules upon electron impact. The lower laser level is depopulated by rapid recombination of the iodine atoms.