Laser action from atmospheric-pressure H2-F2mixtures made at 300K

Thirty-five photons (λ = 3 ) per photolytic F atom have been obtained from a 40-cm3photochemical laser filled with 400 torr of F2, 100 torr of H2, and minor amounts of Ar and O2mixed at 300 K. With 0.035-percent dissociation of the F2, 0.83-J 250-ns full width at half maximum (FWHM) pulses were observed.