A study of the CW 28-µm water-vapor laser

The low signal gain of a CW water-vapor laser at 28 μm was measured as a function of the discharge current and pressure. Together with the measurement of other quantities such as the axial electric field and the concentration of OH, a partial interpretation of the mechanisms involved in pumping the 28-μm transition was possible. Thermal equilibrium between the ν
0
,
2\nu_{2}
, and ν
3
vibrational levels will result in a large absorption at the elevated gas temperatures observed (800-1000 K). The strong dependence of gain on the electron temperature strongly suggests that the vibrational excitation proceeds through electron-impact excitation. Only the electron-impact excitation of H
2
O is quantitatively capable of overcoming the large thermally induced absorption. Although vibrational-excitation transfer from H
2
to H
2
O seems insufficient, by itself, to overcome this absorption, it may provide appreciable additional gain. Pumping of the 28-μm line through electron-ion recombination and by reactions involving OH can be ruled out.