Dynamics of transient absorption in the active media of Penning NeI lasers

The method of absorption probing was used to determine the temporal behaviour of transient absorption in the active media of Penning lasers based on the 3p–3s transitions in the Ne I atom. The pumping was provided by an electron beam and the current density was 1.7 A cm^-2. The efficiency of coupling out of radiation from a cavity containing an optimised laser mixture could exceed 80% for the transitions resulting in the emission at the wavelengths λ = 585 and 725 nm, and 50% for the λ = 703 nm transition.