Author_Institution :
University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, Oxford, UK
Abstract :
In an ionised argon laser, the population inversion largely depends on the shorter lifetime of the 4s2P levels. At extremely high density of Ar+ ground state, the lifetime of the 4s2P levels can be longer. This can destroy the population inversion and produces extremely large absorption of laser lines. This phenomenon has been investigated in a small-bore tube.