Continuous-wave laser oscillation on the 1315 nm transition of atomic iodine pumped by O 2(a 1Δ) produced in an electric discharge

  • David L. Carroll
  • , Joseph T. Verdeyen
  • , Darren M. King
  • , Joseph W. Zimmerman
  • , Julia K. Laystrom
  • , Brian S. Woodard
  • , Gabriel F. Benavides
  • , Kirk Kittell
  • , D. Shane Stafford
  • , Mark J. Kushner
  • , Wayne C. Solomon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Laser action at 1315 nm on the I( 2P 1/2) → I( 2P 3/2) transition of atomic iodine is conventionally obtained by a near-resonant energy transfer from O 2(a 1Δ) which is produced using wet-solution chemistry. The difficulties in chemically producing O 2(a 1Δ) has motivated investigations into purely gas phase methods to produce O 2(a 1Δ) using low-pressure electric discharges. In this letter, we report on the demonstration of a continuous-wave laser on the 1315 nm transition of atomic iodine where the O 2(a 1Δ) used to pump the iodine was produced by a radio-frequency-excited electric discharge. The electric discharge was sustained in a He/O 2 gas mixture upstream of a supersonic cavity which is employed to lower the temperature of the continuous gas flow and shift the equilibrium of atomic iodine in favor of the I( 2P 1/2) state. The laser output power was 220 mW in a stable cavity composed of two 99.99% reflective mirrors.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number111104
Pages (from-to)1-3
Number of pages3
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume86
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 14 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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