Optoacoustic gas analyzer based on a13C16O2 laser for multicomponent pollution of air

A computer-aided optoacoustic gas analyzer based on a continuous¹³C¹⁶C₂ laser for multicomponent pollution of atmospheric air is described. The analyzer has the ability to detect absorption of radiation by detected substances at the level of ∼1·10⁻⁹ cm⁻¹ at a time resolution of 30 sec. Results of an experiment on simultaneous detection of H₂O, CO₂, NO₂, NH₃, HNO₃, OCS, and C₂H₄ in the atmospheric air using 40 laser lines are presented. 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. 3, pp. 345–350, May–June, 1999.     

1H NMR study of multiply charged anions of Ni-octaethylporphin

An analysis of¹H NMR spectra of reduced Ni-octaethylporphin (NiOEP)ⁿ⁻ n=2,3) complexes has allowed the conclusion that the first and third excess electrons are localized on orbitals of the porphyrin ligand, while the first excess electron is on the d_x ²-y²-orbital of Ni. This is a basis for thinking that in the course of NiOEP reduction the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the ligand becomes smaller than that of the d_x ²-y²-orbital of nickel. 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. 4, pp. 513–517, July–August, 1997.     

Control of the shape and duration of a laser pulse in the case of nonlinear total internal reflection

A nonlinear device based on nonlinear total internal reflection is suggested which provides a more than ten-fold shortening of the laser pulse and smooth variation of the pulse duration due to double reflection from the interface between transparent and absorbing media. Results are presented for the shape and duration of the pulse components that have been reflected and transmitted by the interface. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., 220072, Minsk, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 325–328, May–June, 1997.     

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.     

Amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO2 laser with simultaneous modulation of two parameters

Analytical expressions have been obtained in a linear approximation for the amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO₂ laser with simultaneous modulation of two its parameters. It is shown that the value and form of the laser response can be controlled over a wide range by way of changing the modulation frequency, the value of the detuning, and the phase difference of the oscillations of the simultaneously modulated parameters. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 2, pp. 190–196, March–April, 1997.     

Modeling the cw lasing regime for diode-pumped solid state lasers

In terms of a system of balance equations, we propose a model for describing the operation of lasers based on solid-state quasi-three-level active media in the cw lasing regime with longitudinal pumping by emission from diode lasers, taking into account the spatial distribution of the pump and lasing light beams. We model the operation of lasers based on the active crystals Yb³⁺:NaLa(MoO₄)₂ and Yb³⁺:YVO₄, taking into account the proposed spatial distribution function of the intensity and the emission spectrum of the pump. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 74, No. 1, pp. 55–60, January–February, 2007.     

Effect of sweeping the “instantaneous” lasing frequency on the amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO2 laser with loss modulation

The influence of changes in the refractive indices of the active medium and the loss modulator on the amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO₂ laser was theoretically investigated. It is shown that at a comparatively great magnitude of sweeping the “instantaneous” lasing frequency, the magnitude of the laser response increases not only in negative detunings, but also over a wide range of positive detunings. The use of the procedure of changing the magnitude and sign of detuning as well as the range of sweeping and the frequency of modulation makes it possible to realize various periodic and chaotic regimes of lasing, i.e., to exercise control over the time and energy parameters of pulses over a very wide range. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 318–324, May–June, 1997.     

Nonlinear amplitude-tuning characteristic of a CO2 laser with pump-current modulation

The nonlinear amplitude-tuning characteristic of a CO₂ laser with discharge-current modulation was investigated by mean of numerical simulation. It is shown that in the general case the magnitude and shape of the laser response depend on the ratio between the frequency of the pump modulation and the fundamental resonance frequency of the laser. 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. 5, pp. 640–644, September–October, 1999.     

Investigation of dosimetric properties of barium and strontium dithionates

An investigation is made of the dosimetric properties of proposed spin-resonance γ-radiation dose meters based on Ba and Sr dithionates. Their operating range (0.1 Gy−50 kGy for Ba dithionate and 0.2 Gy−80 kGy for Sr dithionate) is established. Their advantages over the EPR/L-α dose meter are discussed: the narrow isotropic EPR signal, higher radiation sensitivity, large range of linear response. Conditions of storage and use of dithionate-based dose meters (temperature of 15–25°C, relative air humidity no more than 80%) are determined. Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 13, Surganov St., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 3, pp. 372–376, May–June, 1998.     

Dynamics of a waveguide pulsed-periodic CO2 laser with loss modulation

The nonlinear dynamics of a waveguide CO₂ laser with combined periodic loss and pumping modulation is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The possibilities of controlling time and energy parameters of the output radiation using the corresponding selection of the detuning of the cavity's longitudinal mode from the center of the amplification line, the amplitude, and the frequency of loss modulation are demonstrated. The observed asymmetric dependence of the lasing-radiation density on the detuning of the cavity frequency is explained by the attendant modulation of the refractive index of the loss modulator. 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. 471–478, July–August, 1999.     

Photophysical and photochemical properties of inclusion complexes of β-cyclodextrin with aminocoumarins

B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 200–205, March–April, 1995.     

Optoacoustic determination of low concentrations of gases by the use of commercial CO2-lasers

Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70 F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Specktroskopii, Vol. 62, No. 6, pp. 81–86, November–December, 1995.     

M<Superscript>2</Superscript> of MOPA CuBr Laser Radiation

The beam propagation factor, M² of the master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) CuBr laser emission compliant with ISO 11146 is studied methodically. Statistical parameters of 2D intensity profile of the near and far fields of MOPA laser radiation are measured by a beam analyzing technique as functions of timing delay between MO and PA. For first time the influence of the gas buffer (causing the radiation profile to change from annular to top-hat and Gaussian-like) and light polarization on CuBr laser beam focusability (M²) was under investigation. The MOPA gain curve is found and the influence of gain on the input signal (from MO into PA) due to the absorption/amplification in PA on the field profiles is shown. For annular radiation M² range is from 13–14 (small delays) to 5–6 (large delays) and for filled-center radiation M² is 6–7 (small delays) and at the end of gain curve is as much as 4. With polarized light, M² drops to 3 at the end of gain curve. The brightness of laser emission with hydrogen goes up 3–5 times and the linearly-polarized beam is at least 40% brighter than that of partial or non-polarized beams.     

Photophysics ofβ-carotene and related compounds (review)

A review of data on the photophysics of carotenoids is presented. Results of investigations of spectroscopic, temporal, and energy parameters of excited S₁ and S₂ singlet states of β-carotene and related compounds are critically examined. These states give rise to extremely high probabilities (10¹¹–10¹³ sec⁻¹) of radiationless deactivation of the electronic excitation energy in carotenoids. Results of investigations of photophysical properties of triplet states of carotenoids are considered mainly from the standpoint of quenching of singlet oxygen and triplet states of organic molecules by carotenoids. 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. 1, pp. 5–19, January–February, 1997.     

Dynamics of erosion plasma formation and formation of a plasma flame with a condensed disperse phase when quasi-continuous laser radiation acts on bismuth

The dynamics of near-surface plasma formation and the formation of an erosion plasma flame was investigated for quasi-continuous laser radiation (λ=1.06 μm, q=0.1–10 MW/cm², τ∼1.5 msec) acting on bismuth targets in air. The absence of low-threshold plasma formation at q<2 MW/cm² was established and explained. Instabilities in the plasma formation were revealed and the range of laser radiation power densities (2≤q≤4 MW/cm²) at which these instabilities take place was determined. At q≥5.4 MW/cm², brightening of the flame was noted. The dependence of the luminescence temperature of the flame on the laser radiation power density q was determined. 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. 1, pp. 126–133, January–February, 1998.     

Photoinduced electron transfer in solutions of A Pd-porphyrin-quinone complex

Photoinduced electron transfer (PET) in a Pd-porphyrin-quinone complex (Pd-P-Q) was investigated using the flash photolysis method in microsecond and picosecond range and by luminescence. The investigations were performed for toluene solutions. Intramolecular PETs in the lower excited singlet state (k_CT=1.7·10¹⁰ sec⁻¹) and in the triplet state (k_CT=2.5·10⁸sec⁻¹) were observed. For a quantum yield of the triplet state that is close to 1 in Pd-porphyrin (Pd-P) this yield is equal to 0.4 in Pd-P-Q. This decrease is the result of PET in the excited state and, possibly, in an unrelaxed triplet state. Triplet Pd-P-Q molecules were efficiently quenched by unexcited molecules, and this process is related to intermolecular charge transfer. This electron transfer is likely to occur from the Pd-P protion of an excited molecule to the quinone protion of an unexcited molecule in the collisional complex (Pd-P-Q)₂. Charged radicals, formed once the collisional complex is transferred and separated, have a wide absorption band with a maximum of about 960 nm. The average lifetime of the radicals was about 2 msec. 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 1 pp. 61–70, January–February, 1997.     

Formation of chemical compounds in a laser plasma

Using the methods of laser-induced fluorescence and emissive spectroscopy, we carried out investigations of the formation of TiO molecules in a laser plasma produced by focusing the radiation of an AYG:Nd³⁺ laser on the surface of a titanium target in air. The radiation flux density varied within the range 10⁸–10¹⁰ W/cm². We investigated the distribution of molecules over internal states and the space-time distributions of Ti atoms in the ground, metastable, and excited states, as well as of TiO molecules in the ground and excited states. We found that gas-phase reactions with participation of Ti atoms in the ground state provide the most probable channel for the formation of TiO molecules; the role of reagents in ionized, excited, and metastable states is of secondary importance. 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. 1, pp. 109–115, January–February, 1999.     

A measuring system for reflection coefficient investigations of materials heated by CO2-laser radiation in a controllable atmosphere

An experimental system is described which is intended for measurements of reflection coefficients at wavelengths of 0.63; 1.15; 3.39, and 10.6 μm and of the thermodynamic temperature of the surface of materials heated in air or in an inert atmosphere at pressures from 1.3·10² to 1.3·10⁵ Pa. An analysis of the errors in reflection coefficient and temperature measurements is made. B. I. Stepanov Institute of the 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. 608–611, July–August, 1998.     

Recording of selective intracavity absorption at doubled frequencies of multimode laser radiation

We carried out measurements of the spectral distribution of wideband dye laser generation intensity within the limits and in the vicinity of an absorption line with its simultaneous recording at the frequencies of the fundamental and second harmonics of laser radiation. In the laser cavity we placed optical cuvettes with active and absorbing media, as well as selecting and nonlinear-optical elements. We show that at double frequencies the contrast of the narrow-band hole in the multimode laser generation spectrum increases. The gain in the concentration sensitivity of measurements depends in this case on the value of the absorption coefficient being determined. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., 220072, Minsk, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 516–521, 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.