Metal atom oxidation laser

Claim 2

The laser of claim 2 wherein said molecules are a metal or carbon monohalide.

Claim 3

The laser of claim 3 wherein said molecules are a metal or carbon monofluoride.

Claim 4

The laser of claim 2 wherein said oxidizer is F2 and said metal atoms are selected from the class consisting of Li, Mg, Ti, Fe, Al, Ni, Cu, Au, Pt, and U.

Claim 5

The laser of claim 5 wherein said metal atoms are U.

Claim 6

The laser of claim 5 wherein the pressure of said oxidizer is in the range of 12 to 50 Torr.

Claim 7

The laser of claim 2 wherein said oxidizer is O2 and said metal atoms are U.

Claim 8

The laser of claim 8 wherein the oxidizer pressure is about 52 Torr.

Claim 9

The laser of claim 2 wherein said metal or carbon atoms are carbon atoms and said oxidizer is O2 or F2.

Claim 10

The laser of claim 2 wherein said means for forming and mixing copious quantities of metal or carbon atoms with said oxidizer comprises a body of metal or carbon contained within said oxidizer containment means and means for passing a pulse of electrical current through said body, said pulse of electrical current being sufficiently energetic to atomize a substantial portion of said bodY.

Claim 11

The laser of claim 11 wherein said body of metal or carbon consists of a metal wire.

Claim 12

The laser of claim 11 wherein said body of metal or carbon consists of a film deposited upon a nonconductive substrate.

Claim 13

The laser of claim 13 wherein said nonconductive substrate is the inner surface of said containment means extending substantially parallel to the optical axis of said optical resonant cavity.

Claim 14

The laser of claim 13 wherein said noconductive substrate is a rod extending through substantially the length of said containment means.

Claim 15

A chemical laser which comprises (a) an optical cavity, (b) means for containing a gaseous oxidizer within said cavity, (c) a gaseous oxidizer selected from the class consisting of F2, NF3, and O2 contained within said gaseous oxidizer containment means, said oxidizer being at a pressure at which the lasing threshold is exceeded, (d) a body of carbon or a metal selected from the class consisting of Li, Mg, Al, Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu, Pt, Au, and U within said gaseous oxidizer containment means, (e) an electrical power supply, (f) means for pulsing an electrical current from said power supply through said body of carbon or metal, said current being sufficiently energetic to atomize a substantial portion of said body and mix the resultant carbon or metal atoms with said oxidizer to form molecules containing said metal or carbon atoms and having a population inversion therein, and (g) means for stimulating a beam of laser radiation in said inverted molecules.

Claim 16

The laser of claim 16 wherein said body of carbon or metal is carbon and said oxidizer is F2 or O2.

Claim 17

The laser of claim 17 wherein said body of carbon is a film deposited on a substrate.

Claim 18

The laser of claim 16 wherein said body of carbon or metal is a metal wire and said oxidizer is F2.

Claim 19

The laser of claim 19 wherein said oxidizer is at a pressure of about 30 Torr.

Claim 20

The laser of claim 20 wherein said metal wire is U.

Claim 21

The laser of claim 16 wherein said body of metal or carbon is a metal wire and said oxidizer is O2.

Claim 22

The laser of claim 22 wherein said metal wire is U and said oxidizer is at a pressure of about 52 Torr.

Claim 23

The laser of claim 16 wherein said optical cavity is an optical resonant cavity.

Claim 25

The method of claim 25 wherein said oxidizer is F2 and said metal atoms are selected from the class consisting of Li, Mg, Ti, Fe, Al, Ni, Cu, Pt, and U.

Claim 26

The method of claim 26 wherein said metal atoms are U.

Claim 27

The method of claim 25 wherein said oxidizer is O2 and said metal atoms are U.