An electronic transition chemical laser

Abstract

cw laser action was achieved on the 2P1/2→2P3/2 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.