Multiline (480-496 nm) discharge-pumped iodine monofluoride laser

Lasing at 478.7, 484.7, 490.7, and 496.5 nm has been observed on the E→A³Π (bound→bound) band of the IF (iodine monofluoride) molecule in discharge-pumped He, Ar, CF₃I, and NF₃ gas mixtures. Oscillation was obtained using a stable optical cavity with output coupling mirror transmissions of 0.2 and 92%. For a 99.7%-He, 0.2%-NF ₃, and 0.1%-CF₃I (p_total≈1540 Torr) gas mixture and T∼92% (quartz flat), output pulse energies of ∼0.35 mJ in a ∼15-ns FWHM pulse (peak output power ≳24 kW) were measured. Optimization of the cavity output coupling and increased Ar pressures in conjunction with the use of an attaching gas (to raise the discharge E/N) are expected to improve the output energy and, consequently, the overall efficiency of this blue-green laser.