Perfluorobutyl iodides as gain media for a solar-pumped laser amplifier

Abstract Perfluorobutyl iodides were studied as media of an iodine photodissociation laser amplifier and photoabsorption cross sections were measured. The results indicate a superior performance for t-C 4 F 9 I compared to that for n-C 4 F 9 I. The gain of n-C 4 F 9 I is found to be equal to that of n-C 3 F 7 I. The implications of these findings to space-based solar-pumped lasers are presented.