Measurement of positive gain on the 1315nm transition of atomic iodine pumped by O2(a1Δ) produced in an electric discharge

Abstract

Laser action at 1315nm on the I(P1∕22)→I(P3∕22) transition of atomic iodine is conventionally obtained by a near-resonant energy transfer from O2(a1Δ), which is produced using wet-solution chemistry. The system difficulties of chemically producing O2(a1Δ) has motivated investigations into gas phase methods to produce O2(a1Δ) using low-pressure electric discharges. In this letter we report on positive gain on the 1315nm transition of atomic iodine where the O2(a1Δ) was produced in a flowing electric discharge. The electric discharge was followed by a continuously flowing supersonic cavity that was necessary to lower the temperature of the flow and shift the equilibrium of atomic iodine more in favor of the I(P1∕22) state. A tunable diode laser system capable of scanning the entire line shape of the (3,4) hyperfine transition of iodine provided the measurements of gain.