AFTERGLOW BY OPTICAL PUMPING.

THE GROUP VIB DIATOMIC MOLECULES HAVE BEEN STUDIED EXTENSIVELY IN SPECTROSCOPY FOR MANY YEARS. THUS FAR, ONLY TWO HOMONUCLEAR DIATOMIC SPECIES HAVE HASED, S2 AND TE2. IT APPEARS THAT DISCHARGE DISSOCIATION OF SELENIUM VAPOR MAY LEAD TO A SUFFICIENT DIATOMIC POPULATION TO ALLOW LASER ACTION WITHOUT THE NEED FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE APPARATUS. THEGOAL OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO ACHIEVE LASER ACTION IN THE DIATOMIC SELENIUM MOLECULE IN A RARE GAS DISCHARGE AFTERGLOW ENVIRONMENT AND TO OBSERVE THE FORMATION AND QUENCHING OF OTHER SELENIUM SPECIES IN THE AFTERGLOW USING SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES. THE BROADBAND GAIN AND LASING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GROUP VIB HOMONUCLEAR DIATOMIC SPECIES CAN LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENTOF LONG LIFE, RELIABLE SEALED TUNABLE LASER SYSTEMS TO REPLACE DYE LASERS IN HIGH AVERAGE POWER INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS.