Gas laser system
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorEdward C. Malarkey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas laser system utilizing a mixture of water vapor and hydrogen deuteride wherein molecular vibrations are excited in the hydrogen deuteride in an electric discharge and the vibrational energy is stored until, by means of near-resonant energy exchange collisions, it is transferred to the active laser water molecules. Laser action occurs at about 4.6 microns with a theoretical efficiency of about 58%.
Claims6
A laser for producing coherent radiation comprising a pair of spaced-apart reflectors forming a resonant cavity for reflecting coherent radiation, an envelope disposed between the mirrors and having transparent end windows adjacent the mirrors, a gaseous mixture of water vapor and hydrogen deuteride within the envelope, and means for exciting the gas mixture by electrical energy to raise the hydrogen deuteride to its first metastable state, whereby laser emission is induced by vibrationally exciting the water vapor molecules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.