Plasma Ar laser (344.3 nm) with collisional clearing of the lower active level by nitrogen molecules

An investigation was made of the radiation emitted by argon mixed with nitrogen and excited by a high-power proton beam. The results indicated that amplification in this mixture was possible as a result of np'–4s and np–4s' (n = 5–7) transitions because of clearing of the 4s levels by resonant transfer of the excitation energy to a nitrogen molecule. Lasing was observed as a result of a transition in Ar I at λ = 344.3 nm.