Superradiance by molecular nitrogen ions in filaments

Abstract

Results of the experimental study of population inversion in the resonant electronic transition \({B^3}{\pi _g} - {A^3}\sum _u^ + \) of nitrogen ions by optical pumping of atmospheric air and pure nitrogen by a femtosecond laser pulse at a wavelength of 950 nm are presented. It is shown that the inversion results from selective population of the \(N_2^ + \left( {{B^2}\sum _u^ + ,v' = 0} \right)\) excited state during multiphoton excitation of the autoionization state of the nitrogen molecule with an energy of 18.7 eV. Seed photons for superradiance at transitions of molecular nitrogen ions are photons of the axial supercontinuum that occurs in a filament at the corresponding wavelengths. The superradiance mode is implemented at the wavelength λ = 358.4 nm referred to the transition of the CN molecule.