SEARCH FOR A FOUR-MICRON MOLECULAR LASER.
Abstract
Experiments have been conducted in an effort to achieve continuous laser action in HCN, which has a vibrational transition at 3.86 microns, a wavelength which falls well within the atmospheric window just below 4 microns. Indirect excitation of the upper level (the C-H stretching fundamental) was accomplished by collisions with vibrationally excited hydrogen, deuterium, and nitrogen, without apparent decomposition of the HCN, which is known to suffer extensive decomposition when exposed to an electric discharge. The upper level (001) was identified by infrared emission spectroscopy, and its concentration was estimated to be several per cent at a pressure of 0.05 torr of HCN and 1 torr of discharge-excited H2. No oscillations were observed with HCN excited by H2 or N2 in a 1-meter flowing laser system even when dry-ice cooling was used to reduce the population of the lower (010) level, which is the bending fundamental. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0713193
Entities
People
- John M. Flournoy