Prospects for trivalent rare earth molecular vapor lasers for fusion

The dynamical properties of three types of RE3+ molecular vapors were considered: (1) rare earth trihalogens, (2) rare earth trihalogens complexed with transition metal trihalogens, and (3) rare earth chelates. Radiative and nonradiative (unimolecular and bimolecular) transition probabilities have been calculated using phenomenological models predicted on the unique electronic structure of the triply ionized RE ion (well shielded ground electronic configuration of equivalent of electrons). Although all the lanthanide ions have been treated in some detail, specific results are presented for the Nd3+ and Tb3+ ions to illustrate the systematics of these vapors as a class of new laser media. Once verified, these phenomenological models will provide a powerful tool for the directed experimental exploration of these systems. Because of the structural similarity to the triply ionized actinides, comments offered here for the lanthanide rare earth series generally apply to gaseous actinide lasers which are also under consideration