Evolution of optical inhomogeneities in flashlamp-pumped photodissociation lasers

Experimental and theoretical investigations were made of the dynamics of evolution of optical inhomogeneities of the active medium of a photodissociation laser subjected to high-power flashlamp pumping under conditions of storage of the population inversion, rapid inversion dumping, and free lasing. The chemical component of the refractive index was recorded for the first time in photolysis of $C_3F_7J$. An anomalous increase in the refractive index of the gas was observed under free lasing conditions and an attempt was made to explain this.