Plasma laser emitting at the wavelength of 585.3 nm with Penning clearing of the lower level in dense mixtures with neon excited by an electron beam

Lasing was observed in neon (λ = 585.3 nm) when dense (0.2–3 atm) Ne–H2 and Ne–Ar mixtures were pumped by an electron beam (40 A/cm3, 80 nsec). A population inversion appeared because the lower active level was cleared by the Penning reactions involving H2 and Ar.