Kinetics of population inversion in the active medium of an XeO* molecular laser emitting at green wavelengths

Stimulated emission was observed in the green part of the spectrum when an Xe–O₂ mixture was pumped with an electron beam. The stimulated emission was due to the ¹S₀:¹S₀–¹S₀:¹D₂ transition in the XeO* molecules. An analysis was made of the population inversion mechanism. The power of the stimulated radiation and the time characteristics of the spontaneous radiation were investigated as a function of the composition, pressure, and temperature in Xe–O₂ mixtures. The rate constants of the quenching processes were determined in the temperature range 180–295°K.