EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION OF A COAXIAL PUMPED PHOTOLYTIC ATOMIC BROMINE LASER

This paper describes the results from a combined experimental/theoreti cal investigation of a coaxial pumped photolytic bromine laser, A 532- mm pump was used to photodissociate IBr and produce Br(P-2(1/2)) with subsequent lasing on the (P-2(1/2)) --> (P-2(3/2)) transition, Experi mental results are presented for output energy, mode buildup time and small-signal gain as a function of pump energy and mirror outcoupling fraction, A simplified rate equation model was developed to predict th e laser performance parameters and shows good agreement with the laser output energy and small-signal gain.