Vysotskii, V. I., Kuzmin, R. N. Gamma Lasers (Gamma-lazery), 1989. In Russian

Высоцкий В. И., Кузьмин Р. Н. Гамма-лазеры.
Москва : Изд-во МГУ, 1989.
176 с. : ил. Мягкая издательская обложка, увеличенный формат. (ISBN 5-211-00374-8). Тираж 2200 экз.
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Vysotskii, V. I., Kuzmin, R. N. Gamma Lasers (Gamma-lazery).
Moscow : Moscow State University Press, 1989.
176 pp. : ill. Original publisher’s softcover, enlarged format. (ISBN 5-211-00374-8). Print run: 2,200 copies.

This 1989 monograph, published by the Moscow State University Press, is a seminal work on one of the most ambitious and complex frontiers of 20th-century physics: the creation of a coherent source of gamma radiation, often referred to as a "Gaser" (Gamma-ray amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). The authors, Vladimir Vysotsky and Roman Kuzmin, were pioneering Soviet theoretical physicists whose collaborative efforts provided the rigorous mathematical and physical framework for this nascent field.
The book addresses the fundamental hurdles of achieving lasing at the nuclear level. Unlike conventional lasers that operate on electronic transitions within atoms or molecules, gamma lasers rely on transition processes within the atomic nucleus. The authors explore the use of nuclear isomers and the role of the Mössbauer effect—the recoilless emission and absorption of gamma radiation—as vital components for maintaining the narrow spectral lines required for stimulated emission.
Vysotsky and Kuzmin provide a detailed analysis of various pumping schemes, including the use of pulsed neutron flux and synchrotron radiation. They also discuss the unique challenges of the gamma-ray range, such as the absence of efficient reflective mirrors and the extreme thermal loads on the active medium. The text combines deep quantum mechanical theory with practical calculations of gain coefficients and threshold conditions.
With a very limited print run of only 2,200 copies, this edition is a significant bibliographical rarity. It represents the pinnacle of late-Soviet research into high-energy coherent radiation, a field with vast potential implications for holography of microscopic objects, nuclear spectroscopy, and fundamental physics. It remains an essential reference for physicists specializing in quantum electronics and nuclear engineering.