Chemical laser utilizing the branched-chain stage of the oxidation of carbon disulfide

It was predicted theoretically that a mechanism of oxidation of carbon disulfide established earlier should be used to achieve lasing as a result of vibrational-rotational transitions in CO molecules formed during the explosive branched-chain stage of the CS₂+O₂ reaction. This conclusion was confirmed experimentally: a laser utilizing branching of chemical chains was constructed for the first time. Simultaneous firing of CS₂–O₂ mixtures diluted with helium of nitrous oxide (corresponding to a "peninsula" of chain ignition) was performed by an ultraviolet radiation pulse. Lasing appeared at the leading edge of the fast oxidation stage and it lasted for ~ 1 msec. The output energy of the laser was 20 mJ and the gain was > 20%/m.