CW HI laser based on a stationary inverted Lyman population formed from incandescently heated hydrogen gas with certain Group I catalysts

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 236 - 247
• Main Authors: MILLS, Randell L, RAY, Paresh C, MAYO, Robert M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 01-04-2003; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Computer programming; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Gas lasers including excimer and metal-vapor lasers; Heat; Hydrogen; Lasers; Optics; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Plasma production and heating; Plasma production and heating by laser beams; Plasma sources; Plasma; Balmer lines; Catalysts; Hydrogen; Ultraviolet spectroscopy; Potassium nitrates; Cesium; Experimental device; Experimental study; Rubidium; Plasma sources; Lyman lines; Plasma diagnostics; Lasers; Resonant energy transfer; Rubidium nitrates; CW lasers; Electronic transition; Catalysis
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2003.810174

Each of the ionization of Rb+ and cesium and an electron transfer between two K+ ions (K+/K+) provide a reaction with a net enthalpy of an integer multiple of the potential energy of atomic hydrogen, 27.2 eV. The corresponding Group I nitrates provide these reactants as volatilized ions directly or as atoms by undergoing decomposition or reduction to the corresponding metal. The presence of each of the reactants identified as providing an enthalpy of reaction of an integer of that of the potential energy of atomic hydrogen (m - 27.2 eV) formed a low applied temperature, extremely low-voltage plasma called a resonance transfer (RT)-plasma having strong vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) emission. In contrast, magnesium and aluminum atoms or ions do not ionize at integer multiples of the potential energy of atomic hydrogen. Mg(N03)2 or Al(N03)3 did not form a plasma and caused no emission. For further characterization, we recorded the width of the 6563 Balmer alpha line on light emitted from RT-plasmas. Significant line broadening of 18, 12, and 12 eV was observed from an RT-plasma of hydrogen with KN03, RbN03, and CsN03, respectively, compared to 3 eV from a hydrogen microwave plasma. These results could not be explained by Stark or thermal broadening or electric field acceleration of charged species since the measured field of the incandescent heater was extremely weak, 1 V/cm, corresponding to a broadening of much less than I eV. Rather the source of the excessive line broadening is consistent with that of the observed VUV emission, an energetic reaction caused by a resonance energy transfer between hydrogen atoms and K+ /K+, Rb+, and cesium, which serve as catalysts. KN03 and RbN03 formed the most intense plasma. Remarkably, a stationary inverted Lyman population was observed in the case of an RT-plasma formed with potassium and rubidium catalysts. These catalytic reactions may pump a continuous wave Hi laser as predicted by laser equations and a collisional radiative model used to determine that the observed overpopulation was above threshold. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]