[en] Since the beginning of the laser era in 1960, a continuing search for chemical lasers has been carried out. This quest has been influenced by the knowledge that many chemical reactions produce visible chemiluminescence and, therefore, partition some of the reaction products into emitting, electronically excited states. Such luminescence has been observed not only from low-pressure, gas-phase reactions, notably those of alkali metals and halogens, but also from a limited number of liquid-phase reactions. (U.S.)