The 30th International Conference on Advanced Laser Technologies
LD-O-1
ALT'23
Determination of the concentration of metastable atoms of argon in the active medium of an optically pumped rare gas laser using one-dimensional model
A.V. Yuriev, Yu.A. Adamenkov, M.A. Gorbunov, V.A. Shaidulina, A.A. Kalacheva
FSUE "RFNC - VNIIEF" (Mira str, 37., Sarov, Russia 607190)
E-mails: oefimova@otd13.vniief.ru
The optically pumped rare gas laser (OPRGL) is a new type of optically pumped gas laser with high quantum efficiency, which can convert the high output power of a diode laser into the output power of a gas laser with good beam quality. In [1], the first generation at a wavelength of 893.1 nm was demonstrated.
A mixture of argon (3%) and helium (97%) is used as the LONIG active medium. The main purpose of using helium is to increase the collisional relaxation from the pumping level to the upper laser level in order to create the largest population inversion [2, 3].
In this paper, a one-dimensional model of the LONIG active medium is presented. The model is necessary for the analysis of the discharge conditions.
The plasma kinetic model includes particles of argon (18 species) and helium (5 species). The model includes about 470 reactions describing the interaction of these particles.
The model was used to calculate the concentration of metastable argon atoms for different areas of the gap between electrodes. The concentration of metastable atoms was determined experimentally by diode laser spectroscopy. The experimental and calculated results are compared.
[1] J. Han, M.C. Heaven. Gain and lasing of optically pumped metastable rare gas atoms // Optics Letters. - 2012. - Vol. 37, No. 11, pp 2157-2159
[2] D. J. Emmons, D. E. Weeks. Kinetics of high pressure argon-helium pulsed gas discharge// Journal of Applied Physics. - 2017. - Vol. 121, No. 20.
[3] J. Han, L. Glebov, G. Venus, M.C. Heaven. Demonstration of diode-pumped metastable Ar laser // Optics Letters. - 2013. - Vol. 38, No. 24, pp 5458-5461