Photorecombination lasers (review)

This review is intended as a basis for discussion which may spur the development of a new class of lasers, called photorecombination lasers, in which stimulated emission is the result of forced recombination of atoms or radicals into molecules. The physical basis of the operation of such lasers is discussed. Special stress is laid on a unified approach to the development of pulsed and continuous-wave (cw) lasers. Possible ways of realization of practical systems are considered. Attention is drawn to the advantages of photorecombination lasers, which include a wide range of emission wavelengths (from ultraviolet to infrared), a possibility of considerable frequency tuning (at least 10%, and a potentially high efficiency.