Laser effect in the explosion of porous silicon

In the explosive reaction of composites based on porous silicon with perchlorate oxidizers, a new effect has been discovered: the intensity accompanying the explosive reaction reaches its maximum value in tens of microseconds from the beginning of the explosive reaction, a sharp drop in intensity to zero then occurs for tens of microseconds (“zero shelf”), and short light and electromagnetic pulses are finally emitted. The recorded emission line width about 1 nm allows one to interpret a light pulse as a laser effect. The conditions for observing the zero shelf, the possible cause of its appearance, and the emission mechanism of a short light pulse are discussed.