Determination of optical density at the center of an absorption line contour from the spacing between the frequencies of the two-component radiation spectrum of a laser having a phase-polarization selector

A method for determining optical density at the center of an atomic absorption line contour from the spacing between the components of the two-frequency generation spectrum of a laser with a phase-polarization selector is suggested. It is shown that the method makes it possible to measure the largest possible optical densities, but it is not suitable for measuring optical densities smaller than unity. Optical densities at the center of the D-lines of sodium are measured experimentally. A good agreement between experimental and predicted data is obtained. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 6, pp. 738–743, November–December, 1997.     

Methods for fine-tuning frequencies of absorption of actinide complexes to frequencies of laser generation lines

On the basis of analysis of relationships relating, among themselves, the positions of bands in the spectra of electron and IR absorption of uranyl complexes in solutions and the donor ability of neutral ligands, the possibility is shown for fine-tuning frequencies of absorption of complexes to frequencies of argon- and CO₂-laser generation lines and using them in the development of methods of control over chemical reactions involving actinides. Belarusian State University, 4, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220050, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 420–422, May–June, 1999.     

Study of the profiles of atomic absorption lines in an electrothermal atomizer

Narrow atomic absorption lines of Ba, Cs, Mg, and Tl are recorded in an electrothermal atomizer with a graphite tube furnace by the intracavity laser spectroscopy method. The conditions of applicability of this laser absorption method for reducing the observed profiles of spectral lines to the true ones are found. Measurement of the integral absorption coefficient has made it possible to determine the absolute number of free atoms of each element in the analyte volume at the maximum of the absorption peak under optimum conditions of atomizer heating. The Voigt parameters are determined from the profiles of absorption lines. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 27–33, January–February, 1998.     

Photoelectric properties ofp-CuInSe2 thin films obtained by pulsed laser vaporization

Using the method of phase-sensitive detection, we investigated the photoconductivity spectra of polycrystalline p-CuInSe₂ films obtained in vacuum by the method of pulsed laser vaporization of initial single crystals. We show that, in contrast to single crystals, films are characterized by monopolar photoconductivity in the extrinsic and intrinsic regions of optical absorption and by a linear mechanism of recombination of nonequilibrium charge carriers at the intensities of illumination 0–100 mW/cm² in the temperature range 80–300 K. Institute of the Solid-State and Semiconductor Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 17, P. Brovka St., Minsk 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii. Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 138–141, January–February, 1999.     

Properties of lasers based on vapors and solutions of complex organic compounds

We present the most important results of investigations of lasers based on vapors and solutions of complex organic compounds. We investigated the effect of a foreign gas, the duration and intensity of the exciting pulse, the temperature of the active medium, and the spectroscopic parameters of the material on the generation characteristics of complex molecules in the gas phase. The special features of generation of radiation by a laser with distributed feedback in transition from a condensed to the gas phase in heating the active medium are considered. It is suggested that the polarization characteristics of the radiation generated by a vapor laser be used to investigate the laws that govern the relaxation of optically induced anisotropy of excited molecules of the active medium. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 5, pp. 709–720, September–October, 1998.     

Some characteristics of laser refractometric detection in a cylindrical cuvette

Results of sensitivity measurements in laser refractometric detection in a cylindrical cuvette are reported. A model of laser-beam transmission in a capillary with a liquid is developed. The influence of the laser-beam position, capillary and liquid characteristics, and laser power fluctuations on detection sensitivity is discussed. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. 894–899, November–December, 1998.     

Amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO2 laser in loss and refractive-index modulations

The nonlinear amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO₂ laser in loss and refractive-index modulations with frequencies that differ by a factor of two is theoretically investigated. The response of the laser, in this case, is practically symmetric relative to the center of the line of the working transition while generation dynamics is complicated due to the appearance of spikes of quadrupling of the oscillation period on the wings of the line and doubling of the oscillation period in the remaining range of detunings. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 68, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 185–189, March–April, 1999.     

Excited states, relaxation processes, and coordination reactions in the active centers of heme proteins

Based on the results of studying hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules using the methods of laser absorption spectroscopy of superhigh time resolution, we described photophysical and spectral properties of excited states, and intramolecular electronic and thermal relaxation processes. A mechanisms of the photodissociation reaction of oxy forms of these proteins is proposed and substantiated. Reported at the VIIIth International Conference on Spectroscopy of Porphyrins and Their Analogs, Minsk, September 22–26, 1998. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 479–482, July–August, 1999.     

Intracavity UV-range laser spectrometer

We suggest a variant, which has already been implemented, of a selective intracavity laser spectrometer with intracavity nonlinear optical conversion of the frequency range of generated multimode radiation. The apparatus provides a means for transition into the UV spectral range (shorter than 300 nm) to carry out direct recording and quantative investigation of strong resonance lines of atomic absorption, which earlier were beyond the reach of the intracavity method. We measured selective absorption in spectral lines of a number of metals: FeI 296.690 nm, TiI 294.200 nm, and GaI 287.424 nm. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70 F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus; e-mail: Ild@imaph.bas-net.by. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 6, pp. 875–879, November–December, 1999.     

Local spectral determination of gases and carbon in solid samples by the method of laser spectral analysis

We show the possibility of local spectral determination of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon in solid materials with the use of a plasma obtained on exposure of materials to laser radiation, including single laser pulses. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 482–485, July–August, 1998.     

A two-frequency He−Ne laser at the 3S 2→3P 4 transition in mutually orthogonal transverse magnetic fields

By taking as an example a He−Ne laser that operates at the 3S₂−3P₄ transition (λ=3.39 μm), we studied the specific features of nonlinear interaction of the waves of linear orthogonal polarizations in a transverse magnetic field. Using mutually orthogonal transverse magnetic fields on the neighboring portions of an active medium, we implemented a regime of two-frequency generation, which was investigated theoretically and experimentally. To whom correspondence should be addressed. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 68, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 568–573, July–August, 1999.     

Optical bistability of a thin layer of a substance with quasiresonance polarizability components

Optical-bistability conditions for a thin (smaller than the wavelength of the acting laser radiation) surface layer of resonance atoms are calculated with allowance for the influence of the polarizing fields of transitions adjacent to the resonance one and allowed in the electrodipole approximation on the transmissivity of the medium of the layer. It is noted that the change in the threshold bistability characteristics is due to the influence of the self-modulation broadening of the line of the laser field occurring in the thin resonancepolarized layer on the effective level of its absorption. Institute of Applied Optics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 11, Byalynitskii-Birulya Str., Mogilev, 212793, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 661–665, September–October, 1999.     

IR spectra and the structure of plasticized cellulose acetate films

This study is carried out to investigate the effect of different plasticizers on characteristics of IR spectra of cellulose acetates. It is found that processes of intermolecular interaction between macromolecules of the polymer and molecules of plasticizing materials result in a shift of absorption bands of acetate groups and in changes in attenuation indices for absorption bands of plasticizers and residual hydroxyl groups in the polymer. The deviation of both the positions of frequencies and attenuation indices is determined by the type and concentration of the plasticizer and by the content of bound acetic acid in cellulose acetate films. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. 869–876, November–December, 1998.     

Generation of coherent tunable deep UV radiation for detection and absorption studies of explosives RDX and TNT

We report a technique for the efficient generation of tunable coherent deep UV radiation and its application in studies of RDX and TNT at the ppm level on the basis of their absorption characteristics. The obtained experimental absorption data are compared with conventional spectrophotometric data. The UV radiation in the range 200–260 nm has been generated by the type-I noncollinear third harmonic of the dye laser radiation (600–700 nm) and also by sum frequency mixing (SFM) of Nd:YAG output (1064 nm) with the second harmonic of the dye laser in β-barium borate (BBO) crystal. The maximum conversion efficiency of the generated signal is estimated to be 57.5% at λ = 218.9 nm wavelength. Apart from measurements of the absorbance of RDX and TNT at different concentrations in their respective solutions, the minimum detection concentrations have also been ascertained. The estimated minimum detectable concentration of RDX is 8.47·10⁻⁹ M, whereas that for TNT is 35.7·10⁻⁹ M. The data were obtained using only ∼100 μJ/pulse of laser energy. Published in Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 74, No. 6, pp. 516–521, July–August, 2007.     

Nonlinear energy absorption of femtosecond laser pulses in noble metals

We use calorimetry to determine the energy absorption of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses as a function of incident fluence for Ag, Ag alloys (Ag–Cu and Ag–Pt), and Pt. At low fluences, the measured absorption agrees well with reflectivity data derived from ellipsometry measurements. For Ag and Ag–Cu, the absorbed energy increases nonlinearly with the incident fluence for fluences larger than approximately half of the melting threshold. Near this threshold, the absorption increases by a factor of 3–4. Similar nonlinear absorption is not observed in Pt or Ag–Pt. We propose that the nonlinear absorption is caused by the excitation of d-band electrons below the Fermi surface. For pulse widths longer than 850 fs, the observed nonlinear absorption in Ag diminishes, indicating that diffusive transport and not ballistic transport is the major mechanism of cooling at this excitation level.     

Remote detection of sulfur dioxide by means of a CO2 laser

The possibility of remote detection of SO₂ in the 9-μm region of the spectrum by means of a TEA CO₂ laser was theoretically and experimentally investigated with regard to the real state of the atmosphere and the contribution of background concentrations of H₂O, CO₂ and NH₃ to absorption. For sounding along short paths (2L=2 km), the method of detection of small concentrations of SO₂ (at the MPC level) with the use of the lines of the CO₂-molecule regular transitions (00^o1–02^o0 band) has been devised and experimentally tested. It is shown that in sounding along longer paths (2L=6 km), a noticeable increase in sensitivity can be achieved by the generation lines of the CO₂-molecule sequential 00^o2–02^o1 band. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 508–515, July–August, 1998.     

Influence of spectral-dynamic effects in a laser and light guide on the dynamics of recirculation in a closed contour

The influence of stimulated emission delay, dynamic shift in generation frequency, residual charge effect, timing jitter of the radiation and excitation regime of an injection laser, as well as of dispersion in a fiber light guide on the data-internal storage time in an electrooptical contour is investigated. It is found that the storage duration of an interval depends strongly on the lifetime of nonequilibrium charge carriers, the simultaneous effect of a residual charge and jitter in an injection laser, as well as on the dc bias current of the laser. Belarusian State University, 4. F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220050, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 56–61, January–February, 1998.     

Dynamics of processes occurring in laser ablation of metals in a liquid

We present the results of investigations undertaken to establish relationships between certain characteristics of the disintegration of metals in air and liquid under laser radiation and their thermophysical properties, as well as between the basic parameters of a gas cavity formed in a liquid and the energy of the laser ablation products of metals. Consideration is given to the possibilities of applying the dynamic properties of this cavity to control the time behavior of the radiation of solid-state lasers and to solve spectroanalytical problems. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave, Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 668–673, September–October, 1997.     

Effect of the mode composition of laser radiation on the intracavity formation of periodic surface structures

We investigated the effect of the mode composition (longitudinal and transverse modes) of laser radiation on the basic parameters of the stroke pattern formed on a treated surface placed inside a laser cavity. We found that the contrast of the stroke pattern formed by a laser beam with a complex set of longitudinal modes depends, in the first place, on the width of the laser radiation spectrum and the laser cavity length and is virtually independent of the angle of rotation of the beam. In the region of small rotation angles the broadening of strokes caused by the effect of transverse modes becomes predominant. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikaladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 50–54, January–February, 1997.     

Intramolecular charge transfer and formation of luminescence centers of 4-nitro-4-dimethylaminobutadiene in binary solvents

Absorption and luminescence spectra of a 4-nitro-4-dimethylaminobutadiene molecule in binary solvents have been experimentally obtained and investigated. Formation of the absorption spectra is associated with a chromophore grouping of the molecule in a bent state, while the bathochromic shift of the band in the absorption spectrum is consistent with the theory of dipole-dipole interaction of a bipolar molecule with solvent molecules. The fluorescence spectrum and its form and bathochromic shift depend not only on the solvent polarity but also on the proportion and kind of binary mixture of solvents. For a certain proportion of the binary solvent, radiation has been generated at λ=610 nm in pumping by a nitrogen laser. Reported at the International Conference on Luminescence, November, 22–24, 1994, Moscow. Belarusian State University, 4, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220080, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 119–121, January–February, 1997.