Abstract

Recently we reported the observation of collisional excitation energy transfer between the two upper levels involved in stimulated emission in atomic-copper vapor that is excited by a resonant or near resonant laser beam.¹ In the optical pumping experiments, when one of the two resonant levels (²P_3/2 and ²P_1/2) of the Cu atom is selectively excited by a resonant or near resonant laser beam, amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) is observed from both levels, indicating that excitation energy transfer is induced in collision with noble gas atoms.

© 1990 Optical Society of America