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Atomic, molecular, and photonic processes in laser-induced plasmas in alkali metal vapors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

William C. Stwalley  and
John T. Bahns
William C. Stwalley
Affiliation:
Center for Laser Science and Engineering, Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
John T. Bahns
Affiliation:
Center for Laser Science and Engineering, Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
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Abstract

The production of laser-induced plasmas, which ordinarily occurs only at high laser powers, occurs at far lower laser powers using resonant and collisional phenomena in alkali metal vapors. For example, 10 torr of Na vapor can be significantly ionized to produce a bright white ball with as little as 1 mW of focused cw dye laser power (e.g., at the 3p → 4d transitions at 568.3 and 568.8 nm). We first discuss the alkali metal vapors in general (1) and their important ionization processes (2), especially those occurring at photon energies below the atomic ionization energy. We then discuss the striking wavelength dependences of ionization. For example, cw laser irradiation of these vapors gives completely different behavior at slightly different wavelengths (Stwalley 1990): 10 torr of sodium vapor at 568.2 nm, where the vapor shows only molecular fluorescence and is sufficiently quiescent that highly stable, narrow-band, optically pumped lasers based upon the fluorescent transitions can easily be constructed (Bahns 1983; Bahns et al. 1983; Verma et al. 1983); and, at 568.3 nm, where a “quasiresonant” laser-induced plasma forms and strong emission (including violet excimer bands, a potential laser) is produced (Koch & Collins 1979; Bahns et al. 1989a; Bahns et al. 1989b). We will analyze and reinterpret the classic subthreshold ionization studies (3) and survey recent laser-induced plasma studies (4). We also discuss dissociative recombination and its selectivity for producing strong excimer emission (5) the predicted electronic spectra of the alkali metal molecular ions (6).

Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , March 1993 , pp. 185 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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