Densities and velocity distributions of atomic hydrogen and carbon,measured by laser-induced fluorescence with frequency tripling into the vacuum UV

By focussing a commercial dye laser pumped with a XeCl excimer laser into phase matched Xe-A or Kr-A gas mixtures, radiation at the third-harmonic frequency has been generated in the wavelength regions: 1142–1165, 1178–1186, 1203–1224, and 1268–1290 Å. VUV powers up to about 200 W have been detected by a calibrated Au-photodiode. The vacuum uv radiation has been used for the fluorescence excitation of H and C atoms produced by thermal dissociation or by a gas discharge. Absolute densities have been derived by a comparison of fluorescence intensities with intensities from Rayleigh scattering in argon. As a further application, velocity distributions of C atoms sputtered from a graphite target by 1.5 keV argon ions have been measured. These data are in good agreement with a Thompson distribution corresponding to a surface energy of 8.2 eV.     

Regularities of Bonding of Chlorin e 6 to the Oligomeric Enzyme Lactate Dehydrogenase

Using differential-spectrophotometry, spectral-luminescence, and polarization methods, we have investigated regularities of complexing of a promising photodynamic sensitizer — chlorin e ₆ — with a key glycolytic enzyme — lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The parameters of the dye–enzyme complex have been estimated by the difference between the spectral characteristics of the free dye and the dye bonded to the enzyme. It is shown that the tetrameric LDH molecule forms an equilibrium complex with four chlorin molecules and the sensitizer is bonded independently to each subunit entering into the composition of the tetramer. It has been established that the spectral characteristics of chlorin bonded to LDH are sensitive to the structure transformations arising in the active center of the enzyme as a result of the formation of an unproductive enzyme–coenzyme–substrate complex, which allows the conclusion that the dye is localized in the neighborhood of the active center of LDH.     

Dependence of dye molecule diffusion on their optical excitation

The nature of the dependence of the diffusion rate of dye molecules in polar solvent on the state of their optical excitation is clarified in this paper. It is established that the influence of solution exposure on the diffusion rate of molecules of dissolved substance is associated mainly with the change in the dimensions of the solvate shells of the diffusing molecules as they make the transition into the excited triplet state.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 84–88, November, 1986.     

Polarization Dynamics of a Distributed-Feedback Dye Laser

The polarization dynamics of a dye-solution laser with light-induced distributed feedback (DFB) has been analyzed. A theoretical model of a DFB-laser, which makes it possible to calculate the dynamics of the lasing process for two orthogonally polarized modes, has been constructed. The influence of three main factors — rotational diffusion of dye molecules in solution, anisotropy of the saturation effect, and orientation of the electric vector of pumping beams with respect to the plane of their incidence — on the degree of polarization of output radiation has been investigated. Comparison of the calculated dependences with the results of experimental measurements has shown that the latter factor is of the greatest importance. It is shown that in this case, the degree of polarization of the output radiation of a DFB-laser can have a complex dynamics that does not correlate with the time behavior of the lasing pulse.     

Influence of a Photoconductive Polymer Matrix on the Photoluminescence of Cationic Polymethine Dyes

Using symmetric cationic indopolycarbocyanines HIC and HIDC as an example, the authors detected the enhancement of their photoluminescence in films of photoconductive polymers poly–N–epoxypropyl carbazole and poly–N–vinyl carbazole as compared to nonphotoconductive polymers, i.e., polyvinyl butyral, polystyrene, and polyethylene. The excitation was carried out on the shortwave edge of the absorption band of the dye and did not affect the absorption region of the polymer. It is shown that the effect of enhancement of the luminescence increases with decrease in the excitation wavelength and becomes weaker with increase in the molecular mass of carbazole–containing polymers. Its enhancement is interpreted as the recombination luminescence of electron–hole pairs formed in photogeneration of charge from the dye molecules.     

Investigation of lasing of dyes under the influence of the radiation of copper-vapor lasers

A study is made of the possibility of improving the laser properties of dyes pumped by the radiation of a copper-vapor laser, the choice of dye mixtures optimal from the point of view of producing stimulated emission, and the influence of the solvent on these properties, the aim being to obtain optimal energy parameters in an instrument based on a copper-vapor laser and an optical attachment.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnhykh Zavedemii, Fizika, No. 10, pp. 44–48, October, 1980.     

Stimulated emission of electromagnetic waves by Josephson vortices

We propose a new type of microwave generator in which the Josephson junction is used as an active medium. We find the modulation instability in a soliton chain moving in the Josephson junction coupled with a retarding system. The development of this instability leads to wave amplification in the transmission line. This effect is similar to that of grouping in BWT and TWT and results in the effective transformation of the soliton energy into the microwave radiation energy.Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, Nos. 3–4, pp. 287–291, March–April, 1995.     

A photon detector for submillimetre wavelengths using Rydberg atoms

Transitions between atomic Rydberg states have been used for a sensitive detection of 100 GHz microwave radiation from a blackbody source. The Rydberg states have been populated using cw dye lasers. To reduce the influence of the background radiation the beam of Rydberg atoms was surrounded by a shield cooled to a temperature of 14 K. With stabilized dye lasers a $\text{NEP of 10}{}^{-19}\text{W Hz}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>-</mtext><mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ can be achieved.     

Nonlinear Dynamics of Wave Beams and Packets in an Ionizable Medium

We present a review of the studies on nonlinear dynamics of the plasma–field system formed in the processes of breakdown of a gas by high-intensity laser or microwave radiation. The ionization instability dominating these processes significantly modifies the known effects of self-action of waves in a medium and gives rise to a number of new effects which are absent for other nonlinearity mechanisms. We describe the most important among these effects, such as the ionization–field instability of a plane wave, the self-channeling of radiation in the form of surface or leaky waves, and the self-conversion of the spectrum of the ionizing radiation. The results of numerical simulations of the dynamics of nonequilibrium freely-localized discharges created by focused microwave and laser pulses are presented.     

Coherent approach to analysis of modulated optical radiation

A method is proposed for determining the modulation parameters of optical radiation that does not require wide-band photodetectors for modulation at high and microwave frequencies. The method is based on measurement of the time coherence of optical radiation containing a modulation signal.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 25–28, April, 1930.     

Melting Behavior of Organic Nanocrystals Grown in Sol–gel Matrices

We have characterized the thermal stability of organic nanocrystals grown in the pores of sol–gel matrices. The structure has been measured with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Depending on the nature of organic molecules and sol–gel matrices, we have modified the dye–matrix interactions and the interfacial structure between nanocrystals and gel-glasses. When the dye–matrix interactions are weak (Van der Waals' bonds), the corresponding interfacial structure observed by TEM is sharp and the nanocrystals melt below the bulk melting point. On the other hand, when the dye–matrix interactions are strong (hydrogen bonds), the interfacial structure is fuzzy and a great superheating of organic nanocrystals is observed in comparison to the bulk melting point of the dye.     

Spectral–Luminescent and Generation Characteristics of a Gel–Like Gelatin Doped with a Dye

We present the results of comparative measurements of spectral–luminescent characteristics of Rhodamine 6G and Rhodamine C in water and water–gelatin solutions. We found that gelatin added to a water solution disaggregates the molecules of the dye. The maxima of the absorption and luminescence spectra of the solution shift then to the longwave region. The quantum yield of luminescence and the efficiency of generation of the solutions investigated are measured. The generation intensity of the gel is shown to depend on its composition and the dye selected. Measurement of spectral–luminescent characteristics of water–gelatin solutions makes it possible to select dyes that would generate most efficiently in gel solutions.     

Generation of 6.8–7.7 µm radiation in lithium iodate

Generation of infrared radiation in ts-infrared transmission window (6.8–7.7 µm) is reported for the first time by non-collinear difference-frequency mixing of the Nd: YAG second harmonic and the same-pumped dye (Rh-610) laser radiation in a lithium-iodate crystal. The spectrum of polythene sheets was run with the generated radiation.     

Strong-interaction approximation in the theory of second harmonic generation of intense short laser pulses

The method of strong interaction of nonlinear waves has been developed to analyse the second harmonic generation of intense laser radiation in the transient regime. Analytic solution for frequency conversion efficiency – taking into account the pump radiation depletion, influence of phase mismatch, dispersion of group velocities and higher nonlinearities – has been first obtained. A comparison of theoretically derived results and known experimental data has been conducted, and a general agreement of these results has been obtained. The optimal conditions of the second harmonic generation of neodymium laser radiation into femtosecond pulse duration range have been determined.     

Homo- and Heteroannihilation of Triplet-Excited Bengali Rose and Anthracene Molecules on Silica in a Wide Temperature Range

The processes of triplet-triplet annihilation of the triplet-energy donor of Bengali rose dye and anthracene acceptor adsorbed on the surface of wide-pore silica have been investigated in the temperature range 150–290 K. The rate constants of homo- and heteroannihilation of the molecules of luminophors have been determined in a wide temperature range. It has been established that the processes of energy transfer in the initial (after photoexcitation) periods of phosphorescence decay are described by the Inokuti–Hirayama equations modified in the present work for a two-dimensional problem, whereas in the mean-time and long-time periods the kinetics of phosphorescence decay becomes similar to the fractal one.     

High-order stimulated electronic Raman scattering from lithium vapor

An intense radiation at 395.0 nm has been observed when lithium vapor is optically pumped in a heat pipe with a pulsed dye laser whose output wavelength is tuned near the Li 2s–4s two-photon resonance transition. The radiation is emitted in the direction along the pump laser beam. It is proposed that the 395.0 nm radiation is mainly generated through three-photon excitation and one-Raman-photon scattering followed by two-cascade (spontaneous) emission. The overall reaction mechanism can be described by a parametric six-wave mixing process. The quantum efficiency of the observed process is estimated to be of the order of 2 × 10^–6.This work was partially supported by the USC Faculty Research and Innovation Fund     

Determination of the Constants of Binding of Acridine Dyes with Micelles of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Using the Quenching of Delayed Fluorescence by Heavy Atoms

The constants of binding dye molecules with the micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate are determined using quenching of delayed fluorescence of acridine dyes by sodium iodide in aqueous–micellar solutions. Kinetic equations have been composed that describe the processes of deactivation of the excited states of dyes. By solving these equations at the concentration of the quencher sodium iodide corresponding to the minimum lifetime of triplet states and at the concentration of micelles corresponding to the least value of the delayed fluorescence quenching rate constants, we obtained the constants of binding dyes with micelles equal to 1.3·10⁷, 2.9·10⁷, and 3.1·10⁷ M^–1 for trypaflavine, acridine orange, and acridine yellow, respectively. We calculated the rate constants of quenching of the triplet states of the molecules of dyes by iodide ions (I ^–) that decreased in transition from trypaflavine to acridine orange and acridine yellow.     

Influence of the Structure of Water–Alcohol Solutions of Dyes on Their Molecular Association

The spectral and luminescence characteristics of water and water–ethanol solutions of dyes have been investigated. The efficiency of the process of association of dye molecules and the structure of the complexes formed depending on their concentration and the solvent composition have been established. The presence of inhomogeneities in the distribution of dissolved complex molecules in the water matrix which determine the high efficiency of the association processes in water solutions as compared with other solvents is shown. The characteristic sizes of these inhomogeneities have been estimated.     

Color Center Laser–Microwave Double Resonance Spectroscopy of the ν1Vibrational State of HCCF

Rotational transitions of fluoroacetylene in the ν₁(CH stretch) vibrational state have been observed by the laser–microwave double resonance technique using a color center laser as a radiation source in the 3 μm region. The rotational constant and centrifugal distortion constant in the ν₁state were determined to be 9684.310(16) MHz and 2.68(62) kHz, respectively, where the uncertainties given in parentheses correspond to 2.5 standard deviations.     

Method of Measuring Electron Density in Pulse Metal Vapor Lasers Using Microwave Technique

A method of measuring the electron density kinetics in the plasma of pulse-periodic metal vapor and metal compound vapor lasers using microwave technique within the wavelength region of 78–142 GHz is realized. The method is based on the dependence of the absorption efficiency of a probe microwave radiation on the frequency of electron collisions and also on the dependence of the cut-off or the critical density on the frequency of the probe radiation. In a quasioptical translucence scheme the plasma of a copper bromide vapor laser is studied within an interpulse time interval in a gas-discharge tube of 20 mm in inner diameter and with a 300 mm long active heated region excited by a capacitor discharge with a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz. It is shown that under operational conditions typical for metal vapor lasers the absorption of the probe radiation within the interpulse intervals is totally determined by Coulomb electron–ion collisions. This allows one to measure both the density kinetics and the electron temperature. Probable measurement errors are analyzed and it is shown that they result in a systematic error for the absolute value of the electron density but have a slight influence on the density kinetics.