Characteristics of the electron beam pumped iodine monofluoride laser

Abstract

Electron beam pumping of Ar/CF 3 I/NF 3 mixtures yields optical pulse lengths \sim0.5 \mu s from iodine monofluoride. Laser efficiency in this system is ∼0.04 percent. Laser performance is limited by the formation of molecular iodine. The formation of molecular iodine in the excited state (I* 2 ) reduces the number of iodine atoms available to form IF*. In the ground state, molecular iodine (I 2 ) absorbs the IF* laser emission at 485 and 491 nm.