Title :
The amazing cadmium atom
Author :
Silfvast, William T.
Author_Institution :
Center for Res. in Electro-Optics & Lasers, Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
Abstract :
Summarize the unique properties of the Cd atom that have lead to many new types of laser excitation schemes and processes that began 35 years ago. These include the CW blue and ultraviolet laser transitions in Cd/sup +/, the generation of 125-ps pulses (the shortest mode-locked pulses at that time), the process of Penning ionization as a laser excitation mechanism, recombination lasers produced by both laser-produced plasmas and a new segmented arc recombination laser (SPER laser) and the first soft-X-ray pumped photoionization laser, which are all described briefly.
Keywords :
Penning ionisation; X-ray optics; arcs (electric); atom-photon collisions; atomic structure; cadmium; gas lasers; ion lasers; laser mode locking; laser transitions; optical pulse generation; photoexcitation; photoionisation; plasma production by laser; positive ions; reviews; 125 ps; 35 years; CW blue laser transitions; Cd; Cd/sup +/; Penning ionization; SPER laser; laser excitation mechanism; laser excitation schemes; laser-produced plasma; mode-locked pulses; picosecond pulse generation; recombination lasers; segmented arc recombination laser; soft-X-ray pumped photoionization laser; ultraviolet laser transitions; Atom lasers; Atomic beams; Cadmium; Ionization; Laser excitation; Laser mode locking; Laser transitions; Optical pulse generation; Plasmas; Pump lasers;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/2944.902194
