title: Recombination-pumped triatomic hydrogen infrared lasers.
abstract: Mid-infrared laser lines observed in hydrogen/rare gas discharges are assigned to three-body recombination processes involving an electron, a rare gas (He or Ne) atom, and the triatomic hydrogen ion (H(3)(+)). Calculations of radiative transitions between neutral H(3) Rydberg states support this interpretation, and link it to recent results for hydrogenic∕rare gas afterglow plasmas. A mechanism for the population inversion is proposed, and the potential generality and astrophysical implications of such molecular recombination laser systems are briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Saykally
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chris H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Greene