Knowledge Bank

We have obtained many new optically-pumped laser (OPL)lines when dimers of sodium and lithium are pumped with an argon ion or Krypton ion laser. These large frame lasers (operated on a single longitudinal mode) are used to excite $B1\Pi u\to X1\Sigma g+$ (for $Na2$ and $ Li_{2}$) and $A1\Sigma u+\to X1\Sigma g+$ (for $Na2$) multiline laser oscillation of these dimers in a ring cavity. Analysis of the associated fluorescence spectra results in the assignment of most OPL lines. In addition to the (predominantly) bound-bound OPL transitions (including lower laser levels up to dissociation), in the case of pumping sodium dimers (with the 568.2 nm out put of a Krypton ion laser) stimulated bound-free emissions have been observed for the first time between two strongly bound molecular states $(A1\Sigma u+\to X1\Sigma g+continuum)$ at -805 and 817.5 nm.