Process and generator for generating atomic iodine in the fundamental state, and iodine chemical laser employing such

Iodine chemical laser, comprising:

• a laser cavity;
• a combustion chamber;
• a first injector adapted to inject into said combustion chamber a fuel being an iodine compound selected from among HI, CF.sub.3 I, C.sub.3 F.sub.7 I, I.sub.2 and CHI.sub.3 ;
• first supply means for supplying said fuel in adjustable amount and speed to said first injector;
• a second injector adapted to inject into said combustion chamber a combustion supporter selected from among F.sub.2 and NF.sub.3 ;
• second supply means for supplying said combustion supporter in adjustable amount and speed to said second injector;
• combustion initiating means for initiating combustion of the mixture fuel-combustion supporter in said combustion chamber;
• a supersonic nozzle provided in an outlet of said combustion chamber for extracting products resulting from said combustion fuel-combustion supporter and supplying them into said laser cavity;
• supply means for supplying singlet oxygen into said laser cavity at the same time as said combustion resulting products;
• said fuel being in excess with respect to stoichiometric proportions corresponding to said combustion, richness .phi. of said iodine compound fuel with respect to said stoichiometric proportions being 0.5<.phi.<2.5 if the used combustion supporter is F.sub.2 and 0.6<.phi.<2.6 if the used combustion supporter is NF.sub.3 ;
• the pressure inside said combustion chamber during said combustion being between 50 torrs and 5 bars.