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Carl A Jensen

James C Fletcher

Lowell L Wood

Willard F Libby

A method and apparatus for producing intense, coherent, monochromatic light from a low temperature plasma are disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing for confining a gas at subatmospheric pressure and including a set of reflectors defining an optical cavity. At least one anode and cathode are positioned within the gas. First control means control the voltage applied to the anode and second control means independently control the temperature of the cathode. The pressure of the gas is controlled by a third control means. An intense monochromatic output is achieved by confining the gas in the housing at a controlled pre-determined reduced pressure, independently controlling the temperature of the electron emitting cathode and applying a predetermined controlled low voltage to the anode. An intermediate mode current is drawn from the cathode and produces in the confined gas, a region having a high density of metastable atomic states leading to a population inversion. A low temperature, high-density plasma is continuously produced in said region leading to laser emission between said reflectors. Intense, coherent monochromatic light is emitted as a result of the recombination of ions and electrons in the plasma.

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Davis, CA, United States of America

Carl A Jensen