Comparing laser induced plasmas formed in diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers

Lasing on the D1 transition (62P1/2 → 62S1/2) of cesium can be reached in both diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers. The first uses D2 transition (62S1/2 → 62P3/2) for pumping, whereas the second is pumped by photoexcitation of ground state Cs-Ar collisional pairs and subsequent dissociation of diatomic, electronically-excited CsAr molecules (excimers). Despite lasing on the same D1 transition, differences in pumping schemes enables chemical pathways and characteristic timescales unique for each system. We investigate unavoidable plasma formation during operation of both systems side by side in Ar/C2H6/Cs.