Axial mode structure of a copper vapor pumped dye laser

A search for lasers to be employed in the development of uranium isotope separation techniques led to the investigation of a copper vapor pumped tunable dye laser patterned after the concept developed by Hansch. This investigation revealed that although the time integrated spectral output covered approximately 1.3 GHz, which was the desired bandwidth, the time resolved spectral output included high visibility mode structure which fluctuated randomly from pulse to pulse. These fluctuations could significantly reduce the throughput efficiency of multiphoton photoionization isotope separation processes involving strongly inhomogeneously broadened transitions.