Finely dispersed metal particles as the active medium of metal atom lasers

A stream of finely dispersed particles 6–100 nm in diameter, formed by continuous evaporation of a metal in a rare gas stream in an evaporator connected to a discharge tube, was used as a source of atoms in metal lasers. Circulating this stream longitudinally through a cold cell and using a longitudinal exciting electric discharge, stable supperradiance and laser action on green lines of copper and manganese were obtained. Estimates show that for this method of supplying the material to the discharge zone, an increase in the steady-state atom concentration by more than an order of magnitude compared with existing lasers may be expected. The possibilities and prospects of the proposed method are discussed.