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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

A chemically driven visible laser transition using fast near-resonant energy transfer

J.R. Woodward, S. H. Cobb, Kangyue Shen, James L. Gole

Published Jan 1, 1990• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

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.>

DOI
10.1109/3.102638

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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.>

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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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The direct observation of gain on the 1.315 μm transition of atomic iodine produced by the energy transfer from NCl(a[sup 1]Δ) to I([sup 2]P[sub 3/2])

John M. Herbelin, Thomas L. Henshaw, Brent D. Rafferty +5 more

Gain between the I(2P3/2) and I*(2P1/2) states of atomic iodine at 1.315 μm was detected in a transverse subsonic flow reactor that produced electronically excited I*(2P1/2) atoms from the efficient energy transfer reaction between NCl(a1Δ) metastables and ground state I(2P3/2) atoms. The population inversion was directly observed using a 1.315 μm tunable diode laser that scanned across the entire I(2P3/2)−I*(2P1/2) hyperfine transition with complete resolution.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 1999•0 citations
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.>
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.>
Optically pumped alkali vapor lasers are currently being developed in several laboratories. The objective is to construct high-powered lasers that also exhibit excellent beam quality. Considerable progress has been made, but there are technical challenges associated with the reactivity of the metal atoms. Rare gas atoms (Rg) excited to the np(5)(n+1)s (3)P(2) configuration are metastable and have spectral properties that are closely similar to those of the alkali metals. In principle, optically pumped lasers could be constructed using excitation of the np(5)(n+1)p←np(5)(n+1)s transitions. We have demonstrated this potential by observing gain and lasing for optically pumped Ar(*), Kr(*) and Xe(*). Three-level lasing schemes were used, with He or Ar as the collisional energy transfer agent that established the population inversion. These laser systems have the advantage of using inert reagents that are gases at room temperature.
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.