Lasing characteristics of seventeen visible-wavelength dyes using a coaxial-flashlamp-pumped laser

The performance and tuning characteristic of organic dye lasers were measured using commercially available coaxial flashlamps as the pumping source. Tuning by a diffraction grating permitted continuous coverage of the 4200-7500-A region at up to 0.6% tuned output energy efficiency. Preliminary results with a 600-J Marx-Bank coaxial laser at 4500 A show 1% efficiency and single-pass unsaturated gain greater than 20 at 4500 A.