F2-PUMPED NO - LASER OSCILLATION AT 218NM AND PROSPECTS FOR NEW LASER TRANSITIONS IN THE 160-250NM REGION

We have recently proposed a scheme to produce powerful, coherent radiation at several wavelengths between 160 and 250 nm by optically pumping a high-lying electronic level of nitric oxide with radiation from a molecular fluorine laser. We present the details of this scheme, and the results of a kinetic model which describes the observed absorption of F2 laser radiation by NO. The successful operation of the scheme to produce laser oscillation at 218 nm is described. The possibility of using this scheme to produce laser oscillation at other wavelengths is discussed, and further extensions to produce coherent radiation at wavelengths shorter than 1S8 nm are proposed. © 1990 IEEE