Transverse if excitation of metal vapor lasers

Abstract

Compact low-power multiwavelength gas lasers are attractive for applications in color printing and processing and color displays. Metal vapor ion lasers are promising candidates and are normally excited in dc cataphoretic and hollow cathode discharges. The catephoresis laser is limited in the range of wavelengths produced, while the hollow cathode laser suffers from discharge instabilities and is difficult to operate in a sealed configuration. Transverse rf discharge excitation provides a less explored alternative, offering good discharge stability, low noise, and electrodeless excitation of reactive metals. The hot electron component found in rf discharges efficiently excites the full range of metal vapor laser wavelengths.1 However, these advantages have not been fully exploited, mainly through difficulties in maintaining optimum vapor density in the presence of discharge heating and radial discharge cataphoresis.