Visible absorption by electron-beam pumped rare gases

The temporal and spectral behavior of absorption in the visible by -beam excited argon, krypton, and xenon have been investigated with and without additives. The probe light used was from an argon-ion pumped, tunable dye laser, or from the visible lines of the argon-ion laser itself. Strong absorption was observed at all wavelengths investigated (450-620 nm). Structured absorptions out of atomic and molecular excited states have been identified by their temporal, spectral, and pressure behavior. The ubiquity of these absorptions, which is not fully understood, should have serious implications for the development of new visible lasers that operate during the electron-beam pumping pulse.