1. The discovery of an unknown I*deactivation mechanism does not significantly impact the feasibility of an efficient hybrid electric oxygen-iodine laser, but rather prompts more systematic fundamental investigations to provide data and models required for scaling and optimizing the system. Indeed, our observation of positive gain in subsonic flow9was preceded by positive gain observations and successful laser power extraction in supersonic flow.6-8The small-signal gain observed in our subsonic flow experiments scales to 0.02%/cm for [I2]o~1015cm-3, indicating the potential for a viable subsonic laser. The combination of these emerging experimental results verifies the potential of the hybrid laser concept. We are continuing to pursue coupled kinetics experiments and modeling over a broader range of experimental parameters, both for the oxygen discharge kinetics and for the I*excitation chemistry.
2. Chain-reaction mechanism for molecular iodine dissociation in the molecular oxygen(1.DELTA.)-iodine atom laser
3. An electronic transition chemical laser