High-gain backward lasing in air. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The compelling need for standoff detection of hazardous gases and vapor indicators of explosives has motivated the development of a remotely pumped, high-gain air laser that produces lasing in the backward direction and can sample the air as the beam returns. We demonstrate that high gain can be achieved in the near-infrared region by pumping with a focused ultraviolet laser. The pumping mechanism is simultaneous resonant two-photon dissociation of molecular oxygen and resonant two-photon pumping of the atomic oxygen fragments. The high gain from the millimeter-length focal zone leads to equally strong lasing in the forward and backward directions. Further backward amplification is achieved with the use of earlier laser spark dissociation. Low-divergence backward air lasing provides possibilities for remote detection.

published proceedings

  • Science

altmetric score

  • 9.712

author list (cited authors)

  • Dogariu, A., Michael, J. B., Scully, M. O., & Miles, R. B.

citation count

  • 226

complete list of authors

  • Dogariu, Arthur||Michael, James B||Scully, Marlan O||Miles, Richard B

publication date

  • January 2011