Cadmium and Zinc Monoiodide: New Discharge Pumped Metal Halide Oscillators and Amplifiers (Lasers)

Abstract

Broad band gain on the B(--->)X bands of ZnI and CdI has been obtained in 13 and 25 cm active length, UV-preionized, high temperature (440(DEGREES)C), transverse discharge devices. With a 50 cm active length device, stimulated emission has been observed on the B(--->)X bands of ('114)CdI and CdI at 657 nm. The ('114)CdI laser has been injection locked between 655 and 660 nm with injection intensities of (TURN)5 W c('-2). The saturation intensity of the CdI (B(--->)X) band has been directly measured to be (TURN)125 kW cm('-2). Transient absorption spectroscopy has been used to identify short-lived species created in the CdI discharge, in particular, the 5p ('3)P(,J) and 6s ('3)S(,1) states of atomic cadmium and the X ('2)(SIGMA)(,1/2) state of CdH. Finally, a previously unseen 454 nm bound to free absorption band is presented and positively identified as originating from the B ('2)(SIGMA) state of CdI and terminating on a dissociative state correlating with the Cd (5p ('3)P) + I (('2)P(,3/2)) separated atom limit.