Abstract

We report the observation of discharge-excited stimulated emission in elemental neutral iron at room temperature, on nineteen ultraviolet and three blue wavelengths which originate from upper levels in the terms x⁵D⁰ and x⁵F⁰. Of these, laser action has not been observed previously on fourteen ultraviolet and two blue transitions. We previously reported stimulated emission in neutral copper and gold¹ in this device. The metal vapor in each case was produced by gas-jet-assisted sputtering.² Room-temperature operation of a pulsed discharge ion laser is superior to that at higher temperatures in two respects.

© 1985 Optical Society of America