[en] The fluorescence decay rates of vapor phase neodymium aluminum chloride complex (Nd-Al-Cl) and neodymium-thd-chelate have been measured as functions of temperature, partial pressure and optical excitation intensity. Fluorescence quenching due to both ground and excited state collisions was observed in Nd-Al-Cl vapor. In constrast, quenching in the Nd-thd vapor was found to be dominated by multiquantum excitation of molecular vibrations. The fluorescence kinetics of Tb-Al-Cl vapor have also been examined under conditions of intense excitation of terbium 5d levels by a KrF laser source. Both prompt and delayed fluorescence of the 4f⁸(⁵D₄) metastable level were observed together with evidence of excited-state collisional quenching. In laser amplifier experiments, a transient (greater than or equal to 10 μsec) population inversion was produced in Nd-Al-Cl vapor with a small signal gain coefficient greater than or equal to 0.25%/cm and a stored energy density approximately equal to 35 J/liter. Available data for the rare earth vapors are related to scaling requirements of large amplifiers for laser fusion application