Knowledge Bank

Oxygen-iodine lasers that utilize electrical discharges to produce O$2$(a$1\Delta g$) are currently being developed. The discharge generators differ from those used in conventional chemical oxygen iodine lasers in that they produce significant amounts of atomic oxygen. The post-discharge chemistry includes channels that are both beneficial and detrimental to the laser. The beneficial reactions result in the dissociation of I$2$ while the detrimental processes cause direct and indirect removal of I($2$P$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">1<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">/</mrow>2</mrow>}$) (the upper level of the laser). We have examined kinetic processes relevant to the laser through studies of photo-initiated reactions in N$2$O/I$2$ mixtures. The reactions have been monitored using absorption spectroscopy, LIF, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy. A kinetic model has been developed from these data, and the rate constants for the deactivation of I($2$P$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">1<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">/</mrow>2</mrow>}$) by O($3$P) (k = 1.2 x 10$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">-11</mrow>}$ cm$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">3</mrow>}$ s$\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">-1</mrow>}$) has been determined for the first time.