United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

University of Iowa Research Foundation

Space Power, Inc.

William C Stwalley

John T Bahns

Edward J Britt

Mark E Koch

Bernard C Laskowski

John L Lawless

A cluster ion synthesis process utilizing a containerless environment to grow in a succession of steps cluster ions of large mass and well defined distribution. The cluster ion growth proceeds in a continuous manner in a plurality of growth chambers which have virtually unlimited storage times and capacities.

Cluster ion synthesis and confinement in hybrid ion trap arrays

The method of producing specific cluster ions utilizing an ionization source to produce ions which are then sorted or resolved according to velocity and mass. The selected ions are passed through a growth chamber containing a gaseous vapor of a specified element and are coated by the vapor to provide coated cluster ions. The coated cluster ions are mass selected and held in an ion trap.

Method for the production of size, structure and composition of

A composition of matter is provided which is capable of producing laser energy on being pumped. The composition comprises a first chemical entity and a second chemical entity, wherein the first and second entities form a charge bearing molecule when excited to a relatively higher energy state and exist as distinct non-associated entities when in a relatively lower energy state. A method of producing laser energy and a laser, utilizing such composition of matter, also form a part of the invention. Generally, at least one of the first and second chemical entities in the charge bearing molecule has a number of electrons substantially equal to the number of electrons of a noble gas or of a halogen. A very high energy laser can result.

Lasing composition

A preferred embodiment of an excimer laser has a heat pipe oven adapted to raise sodium therein to a temperature of about 800 Kelvin and thereby vaporize the sodium at a pressure of no more than about 0.1 atmosphere, the heat pipe oven having substantially transparent ends. A ring cavity made up of a plurality of mirrors and an adjustable birefringent filter circulates violet light of a desired wavelength through the transparent ends of the heat pipe oven, and a pump laser introduces radiation into the heat pipe oven at an energy high enough to ionize sodium therein to form Na.sub.3.sup.+ ions and free electrons. The recombination of Na.sub.3.sup.+ ions and free electrons causes the ions to dissociate into free sodium atoms and excited Na.sub.2 molecules which, when stimulated by violet light of the desired wavelength, further dissociate into two free sodium atoms and emit additional violet light of the desired wavelength.

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Iowa City, IA, United States of America

William C Stwalley