Pulsed l2 laser pumped by a tunable laser

An experimental investigation is reported of lasing on the B³Π_o⁺u–X ¹Σ_g⁺ electronic transitions in molecular iodine, in the wavelength range 550 –1340 nm, pumped by coumarin 7 and rhodamine 6G dye lasers. Laser pulse energies of up to 0.3 mJ were attained for a quantum efficiency of the conversion of optical energy of 6%. When intracavity selection was employed for individual doublets of the P and R branch lines, the laser output power approached that obtained in the broad-band regime. When high-energy laser pump sources were used, it proved feasible to obtain lasing on varying the excitation band width over a wide range (0.1–60 cm^–1), which made it possible to determine the influence of competition between the pump transitions. An analysis of the results and theoretical estimates indicated that continuous coverage of a large fraction of the lasing range by narrow lines could be achieved.