Possible expansion of the spectral emission range of electronic-transition chemical lasers

An analysis is made of the feasibility of increasing the spectral emission range of chemical lasers utilizing electronic transitions. The chemical excitation processes are classified, the main kinetic schemes of donor–acceptor lasers are discussed, and the laser efficiency is estimated. A new class of reactions is proposed as a potential source of electronically excited nitrogen molecules for short-wavelength chemical lasers. Various types of chemical processes involving the generation of singlet oxygen are discussed. A homological series of donor–acceptor pairs potentially suitable for use in exchange lasers (spectral emission range 0.2–1 µ) is proposed.