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Sub-nanosecond luminescence of Mn2+ in Mn-, Sn/Mn-, and Cu/Mn-doped Li2B4O7 ceramics is observed under laser excitation. Picosecond pulsed laser radiation (350–370 nm) generates the frequency-doubled radiation directly in a single microcrystal selected in a ceramic sample, with this secondary radiation falling within the impurity-induced VUV excitation bands of doped Li2B4O7. These excitation bands are attributed to the creation of an impurity-bound intra-anionic exciton in MeiO4–BO3–MnLi complex centres (Mei = Mn, Sn, or Cu). The exciton, in turn, interacts with a nearby Mn2+ ion due to mixing of the Mn2+ excited states with the excitonic states. Exciton annihilation involves Mn2+ energy levels as transient states and causes a sub-nanosecond radiative transition which is accelerated, being accompanied by rearrangement of the surrounding atoms. Excitation within the lower-energy bands is related to the other part of the complex luminescence centre, this is metal-to-ligand intra-anionic charge transfer, which makes an electron accessible to MnLi, while the hole is transferred only during relaxation of the excited structure. Mn2+ radiative transitions are not forced in the latter case, and slow Mn2+ luminescence decay is observed.

Nonlinear self-focusing of sub-TW power, sub-ps UV pulses generated by Ti:Sapphire/KrF GARPUN-MTW laser facility produces a few hundred randomly distributed filament-like weakly ionized plasma channels in atmospheric air. Arrangement of occasional multiple filaments has been demonstrated by means of amplitude masks with periodic circular and square apertures introduced in the light beam. Diffraction on the apertures overcomes natural stochastic and deterministic radiation inhomogeneities and builds up a regular array of a few hundred filaments persisting over 20 m.

Multiple filamentation of subpicosecond UV pulses with peak power up to 0.2 TW was investigated at the Ti:Sapphire/KrF GARPUN-MTW laser facility in the direct amplification scheme. Filamentation arose in the initial preamplifier stage when peak power exceeded the critical value of 0.1 GW. The filamentation pattern was well reproducible for repetitive pulses in time scales from nanoseconds to several minutes.

Temperature dependences of nonlinear ZnGeP2 crystal indices within the wavelength range of 5.0–6.2 μm (around noncritical spectral phase-matching) were examined with a frequency-selective Q-switched CO laser. The correct dependences were found and applied for numerical study of the spectrum tuning by the crystal temperature changing under the broadband CO laser sum frequency generation. The latter was experimentally studied for the crystal temperature range from the room one up to 145 °C. Requirements for ZnGeP2 crystal temperature changing needed for broadband frequency conversion of 5–7.5 μm radiation were formulated.

Relief ripples with sub-diffraction periods (≈λlas/3, λlas/4) were produced on a aluminum surface immersed in water and irradiated in a multi-filamentation regime by focused 744 nm femtosecond laser pulses with highly supercritical, multi-GW peak powers. For the VUV (8.5 eV) surface plasmon resonance on the wet aluminum surface, such small-scale surface nanogratings can be produced by high – second and third – optical harmonics, coming to the surface from the optical filaments in the water layer. Then, the sub-diffraction surface ripples may appear through interference of their transverse electric fields with the longitudinal electric fields of their counterparts, scattered on the surface roughness and appeared as the corresponding high-energy, high-wavenumber surface polaritons.

We have developed a new method for manipulating nanotopology and chemical composition of titanium surfaces by a scanning femtosecond laser beam with an asymmetrical spatial fluence distribution. Using of a common Gaussian laser beam leads to formation of combined nano- and micro-scale surface topologies owing to superimposition of different laser beam parts during the surface scanning. In contrast, beam shaping results in presumable surface structuring at specific laser fluences yielding in “clean” surface structures. In a simple case, cutting of a half beam perpendicular to the scanning direction enables to eliminate surface nanotopology, leaving less oxidized, cleaner and smoother microspikes, just by changing the scanning direction. Optimal experimental conditions were revealed to obtain in air the topologically and chemically different surface structures using the asymmetrical femtosecond laser beam and the opposite scanning directions.

Amplitude-modulated UV laser pulse of up to 30 J energy was produced at hybrid Ti:Sapphire/KrF GARPUN-MTW laser facility when a preliminary amplified train of short pulses was injected into unstable resonator cavity of the main e-beam-pumped KrF amplifier. The combined radiation consisted of regeneratively amplified picosecond pulses with subTW peak power overlapped with 100-ns pulse of a free-running lasing. The advantages of combined radiation for production of long-lived prolonged plasma channels in air and HV discharge triggering were demonstrated: photocurrent sustained by modulated pulse is two orders of magnitude higher and HV breakdown distance is twice longer than for a smooth UV pulse. It was found that in contrast to IR radiation multiple filamentation of high-power UV laser beam does not produce extended nonlinear focusing of UV radiation.

Actively mode-locked electron-beam-sustained-discharge CO laser producing a train of ∼5–15 ns (FWHM) spikes following with repetition rate 10 MHz for both single-line and multiline mode of operation in the mid-IR range of ∼5 μm was experimentally studied. Total laser pulse duration was ∼0.5 ms for both mode-locked and free-running laser. Specific output energy in multiline CO laser mode of operation was up to 20 Jl −1 Amagat −1 and the laser efficiency up to 3.5%. The active mode-locking was achieved for single-line CO laser mode of operation in spectral range 5.2–5.3 μm. This sort of radiation can be used for pumping an optical parametric amplifier for optical stochastic cooling in relativistic heavy ion collider, for laser ablation, and for studying vibrational and rotational relaxation of CO and NO molecules.

Tunable single-line first-overtone (FO) CO lasing on wavelengths from 2.7 up to 4.2 μm corresponding to overtone vibrational transitions from 13→11 up to 38→36 on 413 ro-vibrational lines was experimentally obtained. A parametric study of energetic and spectral characteristics of the single-line FO CO laser was carried out. Energy distribution over ro-vibrational lines was measured. The maximum specific output energy (SOE) came up to ∼3 J/l Amagat, with single-line output efficiency being up to 0.6%. For the first time, a multi-quantum theoretical model was used to describe the tunable single-line FO CO laser. This multi-quantum approach demonstrated better agreement between theoretical calculations and observed experimental data for laser output as a function of vibrational quantum numbers.

The effect of `spectrum alternation', i.e. the alternation of strong and weak vibrational bands, in a pulsed first-overtone CO laser spectrum is experimentally observed for the first time. Theoretically calculated spectral distribution also indicates the intensity alternation, which is determined by two sets of cascade transitions operating independently. An influence of laser mixture composition and gas density on the `spectrum alternation' is discussed.

Mechanisms of non-linear absorption and ionization of molecular nitrogen gas by UV femtosecond laser pulses were studied using photogalvanic and photoacoustic techniques. The effect of the intermediate Rydberg resonance, its dynamic Stark perturbation and ponderomotive upshift of the first ionization potential of nitrogen molecules by the intense laser pulses has been revealed by observing an increase of a power slope of ion yield from three to four at increasing laser intensity.

Output efficiency as high as 11% and specific output energy up to ∼50 J/l Amagat were experimentally obtained for a cryogenically cooled multiline pulsed first-overtone (FO) CO laser for the first time. The longest generated wavelength was 4.1 μm, corresponding to the 37→35 vibrational transition. FO CO lasing was observed within an initial gas temperature interval of 100–220 K. Theoretical calculations based on the experimental data predict that the FO CO laser efficiency can be increased up to 20%. High efficiency and high specific output energy obtained in the experiment places the FO CO laser amongst other high-power lasers.

Spectral properties of radiation of a pulsed electron-beam controlled discharge laser operating on the first-overtone transitions (Δv=2) of CO molecules have been studied both experimentally and theoretically. Various sets of dielectric mirrors with high reflectivity in the wide range of overtone spectrum have been used for the laser resonator. Multiwavelength lasing has been obtained in the wide spectral range of 2.5–4.0 μm. Efficiency of the laser operating on few vibrational transitions within a relatively narrow spectral range comes up to 5% at entirely suppressed fundamental band (Δv=1) lasing. Spectral characteristics of the overtone laser operating on a selected set of vibrational transitions have been analyzed theoretically. A comparison of the experimental and theoretical data has been made.

Parametric study of a first-overtone (FO) CO laser was carried out both experimentally and theoretically. A special optical filter was used for suppression of fundamental band lasing. The theoretical model is in satisfactory agreement with the experiment for a laser operating on a He-containing gas mixture. The maximum FO CO laser efficiency of 5.5% and specific output energy (SOE) of ∼20 J/l Amagat were obtained for a laser resonator with rather high useless optical losses, FO CO lasing taking place from 13→11 up to 30→28 vibrational transitions ( λ =2.7–3.6 μm). Important influence of intracavity water vapor on the output characteristics of FO CO laser and its spectrum, in particular, is discussed. Both theoretical and experimental results indicate that the FO CO laser efficiency up to 15–20% and SOE up to 50–80 J/l Amagat can be obtained.