Laser research and development in the Northeast; Proceedings of the Meeting, Cambridge, MA, Sept. 16, 17, 1986

The development and scaling of excimer lasers with emphasis on both electron-beam and discharge pumpings; a chemical means of generating laser action in the visible region; the use of stimulated Raman techniques to improve the beam quality output of systems employing excimer lasers; the research and development of CO/sub 2/ lasers; a CO/sub 2/ laser amplifier for radar applications; medical laser usage; and laser monitors for trace species in environmental and industrial processes are examined. Consideration is given to high power laser research and development for laser energetics; linear and nonlinear frequency converters; 450 nm laser operation in Tm(3+):YLF; alexandrite lasers and their applications; and the performance limitations of vibronic lasers. Topics discussed include the laser ignition of oil spills; the application of laser rangers to submunitions; the design and application of laser intensity stabilizers; and a 535 nm active atomic line filter that uses the Tl metastable state as an absorbing medium.