Proof of the Feasibility of Coherent and Incoherent Schemes for Pumping a Gamma-Ray Laser
Abstract
Recent approaches to the problem of the gamma ray laser have focused upon upconversion techniques in which metastable nuclei are pumped with long wavelength radiation. At the nuclear level the storage of energy can approach tera-Joules per liter for thousands of years. Any plan to use such a resource for a gamma ray laser poses problems requiring the fusion of concepts taken from relatively unrelated fields of physics. An approach has been pursued for the upconversion of longer wavelength radiation incident upon isomeric nuclear populations that can avoid many of the difficulties encountered with traditional concepts of single photon pumping. The present state-of-the-art has been adequate to identity 29 first-class candidate materials, but further evaluation precision. This report focuses upon continued development of one of the new technologies being developed for the screening of the laser candidates. It is the nuclear analog of the optical double resonance methods which produced much of the database at the molecular level that was such essential use in the development of conventional lasers. Applied most recently to the study of levels which might be used in dumping isomeric populations into freely radiating states, it produced an unexpected result of major importance. In several test isotopes, a class of extremely useful states was discovered that could radiatively couple to both normal and isomeric states of a nucleus.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA189238
Entities
People
- Carl B. Collins
Organizations
- University of Texas at Dallas