Fast Plasma Mixing: A New Excitation Method for CW Lasers.

摘要

Resonant and near resonant energy and charge transfer collisions to molecules are effective mechanisms to generate population inversions in gas lasers. A new technique (fast plasma mixing) has been developed in which metastables and ions are generated separately in a flowing plasma source and then mixed with a molecular beam. Two CW systems, based on a flowing hollow cathode and a constricted arc have been designed. Experiments with several molecular systems have demonstrated selective excitation of atoms, molecules, molecular ions, and excimers. Spectroscopic investigations allowed determining branching ratios and the geometric distribution of the excitation in the mixing volume. CW laser action was achieved in oxygen and fluorine and experiments were performed to clarify the excitation mechanisms. First experiments on ArF and KrF excimer generation were performed and the fluorescence profiles were investigated depending on operating parameters. (rrh)