Narrow-band UV radiation (250–260 nm) from intracavity doubling a single-mode ring dye laser

Generation of continuous-wave, tunable UV radiation (250–260 nm) by intracavity doubling a coumarin-515 ring dye laser is described. A cooled (200–280 K) ADP crystal with end faces cut at Brester's angle is placed inside the laser ring cavity which has been compensated for astigmatism and coma. UV output powers at 254 nm of 120 μW and 60 μW are achieved with the laser operating multimode (bandwidth ? 20 GHz) and single-mode (bandwidth ? 50 MHz), respectively. Continuous single-mode scans over the 253.7 nm mercury profile demonstrate sub-Doppler resolution of the Hg 6s6p ³P^O₁ - 6s²¹S₀ transition.