Experimental investigation of the atomic fluorine laser

The atomic fluorine laser, as produced by a fast pulsed discharge in He-NF
3
mixtures, is investigated experimentally. Total collisional quenching rates of He 2
³
S on NF
3
, BF
3
, CBrF
3
, CCIF
3
, CHF
3
, CF
4
, C
2
F
6
, CO
2
, SF
6
, and N
2
are reported. Upper limits for collisional quenching rates of He 2
¹
S, 2
³
P, and 2
¹
P atoms on NF
3
are determined. We conclude that energy transfer from excited neutral He to NF
3
is not the primary pumping mechanism in the He-NF
3
atomic fluorine laser.