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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Evidence for continuous visible chemical lasing from the fast near resonant energy transfer pumping of atomic sodium

Kangyue Shen, H. Wang, James L. Gole

Published Jan 1, 1993• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Energy transfer from selectively formed metastable states of SiO is used to pump sodium-atom laser amplifiers at lambda approximately=569 nm (4d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P), lambda approximately=616 nm (5s/sup 2/S-3p/sup 2/P), and lambda approximately=819 nm (3d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P). The a/sup 3/ Sigma /sup +/ and b/sup 3/ Pi states of SiO are generated in high yield from the Si+N/sub 2/O to SiO+N/sub 2/ reaction. The energy stored in the triplet states is transferred in a highly efficient collisional process to pump sodium atoms to their lowest excited 3d/sup 2/D, 4d/sup 2/D, and 5s/sup 2/S states. Adopting a sequence in which high concentrations of silicon and sodium atoms are mixed and oxidized, a continuous amplification (gain condition) is monitored which suggests the creation of a population inversion among the receptor sodium-atom energy levels and forms the basis for full cavity oscillation on the Na4d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P transition at 569 nm.>

DOI
10.1109/3.245565

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Chemically induced processes evidencing Raman gain

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The highly selective Na3 + X (Cl,Br,I) reactions have been shown to create a continuous electronic population inversion based on the chemical pumping of Na2. Optical gain through stimulated emission has been demonstrated in regions close to 527, 492, and 460 nm ((alpha) equals 8 X 10-3 cm-1 for an individual rotational level at -527 nm). A device has ben constructed with a focus to increasing amplifier gain length and amplifying medium concentration based on the controlled intersection of supersonically expanded sodium and halogen atom sheaths. The interaction forms an extended reaction-amplification zone centered on-axis in an optical cavity, thus facilitating the conversion of the observed amplifiers to chemical laser oscillators. Initial results with this upscaled device, where the sodium metal expanded in both pure and seeded supersonic expansion is intersected by a bromine atom flow, provide the first example of chemically enhanced Raman scattering. Unique Raman signals are induced by and correlate with emission from the Na D-line components formed in the chemical reaction zone primarily as a result of Na2 + Br yields Na* + NaBr reaction, cannot be readily generated by light scattering due to an external light source, and appear to be enhanced by the environment of the reaction zone itself. The Na D-line emitters interact with cooled sodium dimers in a resonance Raman scattering process, for which computer simulations suggest a scattering linewidth, (Gamma) -4 cm-1. These results suggest an unusually fast resonance Raman scattering process which appears to be chemically enhanced. The results of initial double pass gain measurements suggest that a stimulated Raman process, similar to that associated with optically pumped alkali dimer lasers, has been observed.

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STIMULATED EMISSION BASED ON TWO-STEP HYBRID RESONANCE $A^{1}\Sigma_{u}^{+}$ OR $B^{1}\Pi_{u}$ STATE OF $Na.^{*}$

L. J. Qin, Z. G. Wang, K. C. Zhang +1 more

The first step of the hybrid excitation in the experiment was achieved by using a pulse broadband ($\\sim$200 {\\AA}) dye laser beam through a heat pipe oven. But the total covered pumping wavelength region from 4600 {\\AA} to 6800 {\\AA} the populated upper electronic state in $Na_{2}$ should be either $A^{\\prime}\\Sigma_{u}$ or $B^{\\prime}\\Pi_{u}$ state. The excited sodium dimers $Na_{2}^{\\ast}$ transfered their energy to sodium atoms Na by near resonace collisions and the Na then would populate up the 3P level from ground state 3s. The Na were consequentely pumped up to 4D, 5D, 5S or 6S level from 3P by using a narrowband dye laser pumped by the same $N_{2}$ laser. The infrared stimulated radiation corresponding to the transitions of 4D-4P(2.34 $\\mu$m). 5D-4P(5.02$\\mu$m), 5S-4P(3.42 $\\mu$m) and 6S-5P(7.52 $\\mu$m) with cascade stimulated emission from 4P to 4S (2.20 $\\mu$m) and from 5P to 5S (5.43 $\\mu$m) were then obtained, Furthermore the dependence of the output energy on the pumping wavelengthes was measured and discussed.

•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations
Energy transfer from selectively formed metastable states of SiO is used to pump sodium-atom laser amplifiers at lambda approximately=569 nm (4d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P), lambda approximately=616 nm (5s/sup 2/S-3p/sup 2/P), and lambda approximately=819 nm (3d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P). The a/sup 3/ Sigma /sup +/ and b/sup 3/ Pi states of SiO are generated in high yield from the Si+N/sub 2/O to SiO+N/sub 2/ reaction. The energy stored in the triplet states is transferred in a highly efficient collisional process to pump sodium atoms to their lowest excited 3d/sup 2/D, 4d/sup 2/D, and 5s/sup 2/S states. Adopting a sequence in which high concentrations of silicon and sodium atoms are mixed and oxidized, a continuous amplification (gain condition) is monitored which suggests the creation of a population inversion among the receptor sodium-atom energy levels and forms the basis for full cavity oscillation on the Na4d/sup 2/D-3p/sup 2/P transition at 569 nm.>
Evidence is obtained which demonstrates the potential for developing purely chemical visible lasers based on rapid near-resonant energy transfer from metastable excited triplet states of germanium and silicon monoxide (a/sup 3/ Sigma /sup +/,b/sup 3/ Pi ) to select metal atoms. In this study, the Group IIIA metal atoms were chosen as the energy receptors for the energy transfer-pump sequence. Excited triplet states were generated from the Ge-O/sub 3/, Ge-N/sub 2/, Si-N/sub 2/O, and Si-NO/sub 2/ reactions; the bulk of the experimental results was obtained with a germanium-based system. The energy stored in the long-lived triplet states is transferred to pump X/sup 2/P/sub 1/2/ thallium, indium, and gallium atoms to their lowest lying /sup 2/S/sub 1/2/ states. The authors observe a system of temporal behavior which suggests the creation of a population inversion producing a gain condition and forming the basis for full cavity oscillation on the Tl 7/sup 2/S/sub 1/2/-6P/sub 3/2/ transition at 535 nm.>
The highly selective Na3 + Br reaction creates a continuous electronic population inversion on Na2 transitions which demonstrates optical gain through stimulated emission in regions close to 527, 492, and 460 nm ((alpha) equals 8 X 10-3 cm-1 for an individual rotational level at approximately 527 nm). With a focus to increasing amplifier gain length and amplifying medium concentration (conversion to oscillator), we extend these initial studies employing the intersection of sodium and bromine flows formed from slit source expansions to create an extended reaction-amplification zone. Initial results with this extended reaction zone provide the first example of chemically induced Raman pumping. Unique Raman signals are induced by and correlate with emission from the NaD-line components (D1, D2) formed in the chemical reaction zone primarily as a result of the Na2 + Br yields Na* (3P) + NaBr reaction. The NaD-line emitters interact with cooled sodium dimers in a resonance Raman scattering process, for which computer simulation of the experimentally observed spectra predict an unusually large scattering linewidth close to 4 cm-1. We describe initial laser based studies on a pure sodium expansion to probe the mechanism of the unusually strong Raman scattering and to understand the origin of the large scattering linewidth. These experiments demonstrate that the Raman process can be induced only upon excitation of the NaD-line components, the Raman scattering being insufficient or nonexistent for wavelength shifts (Delta) (lambda) > 1 nm from the D lines. The scattering linewidth for the reactive process is not readily correlated with the line-broadening of the NaD-line and may result from the nature of the Na- Na2 interaction in the reactive environment. Initial double pass measurements indicate the possibility of optical gain associated with the Raman process.
The highly selective Na3 + X (Cl,Br,I) reactions have been shown to create a continuous electronic population inversion based on the chemical pumping of Na2. Optical gain through stimulated emission has been demonstrated in regions close to 527, 492, and 460 nm ((alpha) equals 8 X 10-3 cm-1 for an individual rotational level at -527 nm). A device has ben constructed with a focus to increasing amplifier gain length and amplifying medium concentration based on the controlled intersection of supersonically expanded sodium and halogen atom sheaths. The interaction forms an extended reaction-amplification zone centered on-axis in an optical cavity, thus facilitating the conversion of the observed amplifiers to chemical laser oscillators. Initial results with this upscaled device, where the sodium metal expanded in both pure and seeded supersonic expansion is intersected by a bromine atom flow, provide the first example of chemically enhanced Raman scattering. Unique Raman signals are induced by and correlate with emission from the Na D-line components formed in the chemical reaction zone primarily as a result of Na2 + Br yields Na* + NaBr reaction, cannot be readily generated by light scattering due to an external light source, and appear to be enhanced by the environment of the reaction zone itself. The Na D-line emitters interact with cooled sodium dimers in a resonance Raman scattering process, for which computer simulations suggest a scattering linewidth, (Gamma) -4 cm-1. These results suggest an unusually fast resonance Raman scattering process which appears to be chemically enhanced. The results of initial double pass gain measurements suggest that a stimulated Raman process, similar to that associated with optically pumped alkali dimer lasers, has been observed.
STIMULATED EMISSION BASED ON TWO-STEP HYBRID RESONANCE A1Σu+A^{1}\Sigma_{u}^{+}A1Σu+​ OR B1ΠuB^{1}\Pi_{u}B1Πu​ STATE OF Na.∗Na.^{*}Na.∗
The first step of the hybrid excitation in the experiment was achieved by using a pulse broadband ($\\sim$200 {\\AA}) dye laser beam through a heat pipe oven. But the total covered pumping wavelength region from 4600 {\\AA} to 6800 {\\AA} the populated upper electronic state in Na2Na_{2}Na2​ should be either AprimeSigmauA^{\\prime}\\Sigma_{u}AprimeSigmau​ or BprimePiuB^{\\prime}\\Pi_{u}BprimePiu​ state. The excited sodium dimers Na2astNa_{2}^{\\ast}Na2ast​ transfered their energy to sodium atoms Na by near resonace collisions and the Na then would populate up the 3P level from ground state 3s. The Na were consequentely pumped up to 4D, 5D, 5S or 6S level from 3P by using a narrowband dye laser pumped by the same N2N_{2}N2​ laser. The infrared stimulated radiation corresponding to the transitions of 4D-4P(2.34 mu\\mumum). 5D-4P(5.02mu\\mumum), 5S-4P(3.42 mu\\mumum) and 6S-5P(7.52 mu\\mumum) with cascade stimulated emission from 4P to 4S (2.20 mu\\mumum) and from 5P to 5S (5.43 mu\\mumum) were then obtained, Furthermore the dependence of the output energy on the pumping wavelengthes was measured and discussed.