Chemical pumping of the water vapor laser. II

Laser emission at 273.03, 262.33, and 590.24 cm−1 has been observed from flash photolysis of H2 and O3 mixtures, in addition to that at 285.55 cm−1, which was previously reported. All four lines are assigned to laser transitions arising from the (100)131,12– (010)1311,2 resonance in H2O. This lasing has been shown to be pumped by the reaction sequence O3→hν O(1D)+O2(1Δg), (1); O(1D)+H2→OH†+H, (2); H+O3→OH†+O2, (3); OH†+H2→H2O†+H, (4b), where H2O† subsequently emits. The vibrational excitation of OH† is effective in overcoming the activation energy barrier of Reaction (4b).