Pressure dependence of the spectral lines of a high power, high pressure atomic fluorine laser pumped by a charge transfer from He2

Various transitions of a pressure tunable atomic fluorine laser have been observed over a rather wide spectral range, 634.8–755.2 nm, by exciting the atmospheric pressure of helium containing 0.2% F₂ in a preionized Blumlein discharge device with a charging voltage of 10–15 kV. The intensity of two quartet transitions, 739.9 and 755.2 nm, increases with pressure, whereas that of the other quartet and doublet lines, 634.8, 641.4, 712.8 and 731.1 nm, decreases with increasing atmospheric fill-pressure. The pumping mechanisms at high pressures appear to be different from those at relatively low pressures.