Studies of an advanced iodine laser concept

We discuss experimental results from spectroscopic and kinetic investigations of the reaction sequence starting with NCI 3 + H. Through a series of abstraction reactions, NCI (a 1 Δ) is produced. We have used sensitive optical emission diagnostics and have observed both [NCI(a 1 Δ)]and [NCI(b 1 Σ)] produced by this reaction. Upon addition of HI to the flow, the reaction of H + HI produced iodine atoms that were pumped to the excited I( 2 P 1/2 ) state, and we observed strong emission from the I atom 2 P 1/2 -> 2 P 3/2 transition at 1.315 μm. With a tunable diode laser we probed the I atom transition and observed significant transfer of population from ground state ( 2 P 3/2 ) to the excited state ( 2 P 1/2 ) and have observed optical transparency within the iodine atom energy level manifold.