Dynamics of chemical lasers (review)

A review is given of chemical methods for the excitation of lasers. An analysis is made of the possibility of achieving population inversion of the vibrational levels of molecules in self-supporting chemical processes (chain and branched chain reactions, thermal explosions). Special attention is given to the problems arising in the theory of vibrational relaxation in relation to chemical lasers. The results are reported of experimental investigations of several chemically pumped laser systems. Some methods for the initiation of reactions in large volumes of a reagent are discussed qualitatively. A list is given of chemical lasers (as of August 1, 1970) and of their operating characteristics.