Influence of buffer gas pressure on the spectral width of the 510.6-nm line of an atomic copper vapor laser.

The effect of buffer gas pressure on the intensity and the spectral width of the 510.6-nm line of an atomic copper vapor laser (CVL) is reported. A self-discharge heated CVL tube of internal diameter 47 mm and length 1500 mm was used. The buffer gas pressure was varied from 5.0 to 470.0 mbar. A Fabry--Pérot etalon-based setup was used to measure and analyze the spectral width of 510.6-nm lines of CVL. The relative intensity and spectral width of the hyperfine components changes with operating buffer gas pressure. The buffer gas pressure reduces the number of hyperfine components (and hence overall linewidth). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]