Optically pumped laser lines of Na2 pumped by Kr+ (6471 Å) and HeNe (6328 Å) lasers: Identification of old lines and prediction of possible new lines

Abstract

We have examined the fluorescence spectra of Na2 excited by Kr+ (6471 Å) and HeNe (6328 Å) lasers in an effort to identify the optically pumped laser lines of this molecule [H. Welling and B. Wellegehausen, Laser Spectroscopy III (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1977), p. 365, and H. Itoh, H. Uchiki, and M. Matsuoka, Opt. Commun. 18, 271 (1976)]. For the 6471-Å pump, the line positions in our fluorescence spectrum show significant systematic disagreement with the optically pumped laser lines reported by Welling and Wellegehausen; however, our transition probability calculations have been used to make proper assignments. For the 6328-Å pump, in addition to the optically pumped laser lines reported by Itoh, Uchiki, and Matsuoka, we have observed some very interesting transitions which appear to be ideal wavelengths for a HeNe laser pumped Na2 laser. For both cases, we have listed a number of additional wavelengths which should lase under slightly improved conditions.