A. I. Maslov

Possibility of using recombination reactions and alkali metals to obtain inversion on atomic iodine

The possibility of producing a continuous-flow laser operating on an atomic iodine transition is considered. Population inversion is the result of depletion of the lower laser level on account of predominant recombination into iodine molecules in the ground state. Alkali-metal atoms are used to obtain atomic iodine and free radicals without consumption of electric energy. The use of an electric discharge is proposed for the excitation of atomic iodine. The kinetics of the basic chemical reactions is considered and the possibility is demonstrated of obtaining inversion at reasonable working-mixture parameters. The schematic diagram of the laser setup is discussed.

Reactions of excited I*(2P1/2) and unexcited I(2P3/2) iodine atoms in perfluoroalkyl radicals

A method of investigating reactions of excited and unexcited atoms is discussed. It is based on pulsed photolysis of molecules with simultaneous passage of laser radiation through the working medium. The method proposed is used to investigate the reactions that accompany the photolysis of the molecules RI(CF3I, n-C3F7I, i-C3F7I). The rate constants of the recombination of iodine atoms into I2 in the presence of RI molecules are calculated for the atoms I(2P3/2) and I*(2P1/2), as are the recombination constants of the radicals R into R2 and with the atoms I*(2P1/2) and I(2P3/2) into the RI molecule. It is shown that the I(2P3/2) atoms are much more active in the recombination into Ia and RI than the I*(2P1/2) atoms. The role of the investigated reactions in the kinetics of a photodissociation iodine laser (PDIL) is discussed. The results are compared with the published data.

Possible use of alkali metals to obtain population inversion in atomic iodine

The possibility of population inversion of the 52P1/2 and 52P3/2 levels in atomic iodine as a result of a fast recombination reaction between the atomic iodine and radicals R (such as CF3 and C3F7) is discussed. The proposed method is based on the experimentally observed difference between the reactivity of the iodine atoms in the ground 52P3/2 and excited 52P1/2 states in various recombination reactions. In this type of laser, an important part is played by the alkali metal which is the chemical source of free radicals and iodine atoms. Numerical calculations are made using a kinetic model of the proposed laser. The main design parameters of a feasible iodine recombination laser are estimated.