Photoexcitation and Photodissociation Lasers—Part I: Nitric Oxide Laser Emissions Resulting from C(2π) → A(2Σ+) and D(2Σ+) → A(2Σ+) Transitions

1-μm laser emission was detected when NO or NO2 was flash-photolyzed, with or without dilution, in the vacuum UV above 165 nm. The emission was identified as the C(2π) → A(2Σ+) (0,0) and the D(2Σ+) → A(2Σ+) (1,1) band transitions at 1.2237 and 1.1069 µm, respectively. The C → A(1,1) and D → A(0,0) bands also lased weakly under better cavity conditions. The total intensity of the 1-µm emissions was found to vary linearly with flash energy, indicating that the pumping mechanism involves a one-photon excitation process. The effects of various additives (He, Ar, H2, CO, N2, O2, N20, CO2, CF4, and SF6) have been studied. When both CO2 and an excess amount of He or Ar were added to NO, 10.6–µm CO2-laser emission was observed concurrently with the 1-µm emission. The 10.6-µm emission is attributed to the nearresonant energy transfer process