title: Cs 894.3 nm laser pumped by photoassociation of Cs-Kr pairs: excitation of the Cs D(2) blue and red satellites.
abstract: Lasing on the D(1) transition (6P1/22-->6S1/22) of Cs has been observed by photoassociating Cs-Kr atomic pairs with a tunable, pulsed dye laser. Pumping of the blue or red satellites of the Cs D(2) line (62P3/2<==>62S1/2), peaking at approximately 841.1 nm and approximately 853 nm (respectively) in Cs/Kr/C(2)H(6) gas mixtures, provides a photodissociation laser in which the CsKr excimer parent molecule is not, at any point in the pumping process, in a bound electronic state. Relative to the absorbed pump pulse energy, laser slope efficiencies greater than or approximately 5% have been measured when the Cs number density is in the range of 5x10(14)-1.5x10(15) cm(-3) and the pump wavelength is 841.1 nm. Direct photoexcitation of the Cs 6P3/22 state at 852.1 nm under these conditions is a less efficient pathway for pumping the 894.3 nm laser, presumably as a result of competing nonlinear optical processes such as 1+2 resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization of the alkali atom.
authors: Laboratory for Optical Physics and Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. jreadle@illinois.edu
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Readle
authors: J T
authors: JT
authors: Verdeyen
authors: J G
authors: JG
authors: Eden
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Davis
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Gabally-Kinney
authors: W T
authors: WT
authors: Rawlins
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Kessler