Single-mode optical pumping and superradiant emission in D2O and CH3F

Superradiant FIR emission in both D₂O and CH₃F has been investigated using a tunable single-mode CO₂ TEA laser as optical pump, and results compared with multimode pumping. The frequency offset of the absorbing transitions has been measured and compared to other work. Estimates of the dipole transition moments were also obtained from saturation broadening data. Fine structure of the CH₃F (Q12, K) lines have been resolved and compared with theory. High quantum conversion efficiencies were observed for several lines in D₂O: 38% (99 μm), 20% (385 μm) and 12.5% (121 μm) and in CH₃F 21% (496 μm).     

Tunable single-mode optical pumping of the D2O FIR laser

A tunable single-mode stabilized CO₂ TEA laser is used to optically pump D₂O vapour. Two D₂O absorption lines separated from the CO₂ P(32) line centre by 0.6 GHz and -1.4 GHz are found to produce respective FIR emission at 120 μ and 66 μ. Superradiant output efficiences of up to 70% of the the theoretical maximum are observed. Laser cavity operation of the two D₂O emission lines was also observed with quantum conversion efficiencies of 6.8% (66 μ) and 14.5% (120 μ) when calculated for the active lasing volume.     

New phenomena related to pulsed far-infrared superradiant and Raman emissions

We report on new effects in relation to optical pumping of far-infrared (FIR) superradiance and Raman emissions in CH₃F, CH₃CN, D₂O, NH₃ by rapidly truncated 10 μm CO₂ laser pulses and optical-free-induction decay (OFID) 30 ps-10μm-CO₂ laser pulses. Thus, we have found a drastic reduction of the FIR-pulse duration which is closely related to the fast truncation of about 10 ps of the plasma shutter used in our OFID 10 μm-CO₂ laser system. The forward emissions exhibit the on-set of swept-gain superradiance and the appearance of Raman emission with increasing pressure in the FIR cell. This implies line competition between the superradiant and Raman emissions and thus results in different emission regimes which we have investigated systematically. The backward emissions are superradiant over the whole range of our investigations and show high quality with respect to stability and reproducibility which is important for applications.Furthermore, we have found that the CO₂-pump radiation and the generated FIR Raman emission interact mutually which results in anticorrelated fluctuations of the two fields. We have been able to interpret this effect as a result of periodic back-and-forth fluctuations of the Λ-like three-level molecular systems.Finally, we have observed the development of OFID of the truncated CO₂-pump pulses in the FIR-laser gases. This effect has been thoroughly investigated and as a result we have generated for the first time ps-10 μm-CO₂-OFID pulses with FIR-laser gases as spectral filters instead of the usual hot CO₂ gas. New phenomena and advantages of our new OFID system based on FIR laser gases are discussed.     

Optically-pumped pulsed laser action in isotopically-substituted DCN

Pulsed MIR and FIR laser action is reported from D^12,13C^14,15N pumped by a 9 μm region TEA CO₂ laser. Thirty-four wavelengths and assignments are reported, spanning 18.1–477 μm. Output energies from D¹³C¹⁵N at 392 μm pumped by CO₂ 9R(32) are up to a factor of two larger than those from D₂O pumped by 9R(22), one of the strongest known pulsed FIR lasers.     

Angular divergence of forwards and backwards emission from an FIR laser,using a pyroelectric vidicon

The angular divergence of FIR radiation at 66 μm and 116 μm from a D₂O cell pumped by single mode pulsed CO₂ laser is obtained, in both forward and backward directions. The forward emission, in similarity with SRS at other wavelengths, emerges with divergence close to the diffraction limit in some cases. The backward emission, probably dominated by ASE, has a greater divergence and at high filling pressures appears to break up into speckles.     

IR absorption measurements and new FIR emission lines in CH3OH by use of a frequency-tunable CW waveguide CO2 laser

The IR absorption in CH₃OH in the vicinity of CO₂ laser lines has been measured quantitatively by use of a 300 MHz tunable waveguide CO₂ laser with output powers of about 3 W. Information on frequency offsets from the CO₂ line centers, small signal and saturated absorption coefficients of FIR laser pump transitions is obtained. Some stronger pump transitions with frequency offsets larger than 50 MHz gave rise to the observation of 8 new FIR emission lines with wavelengths from 43 to 125 μm.     

Pure MW Raman laser emission in superradiant mode in ammonia by pumping with 9P20 CO2 laser line

In this work, clear FIR Raman emission in ammonia was observed when a 9P20 CO₂ line was used as a pump. We have noted an intense pump depletion and strong superradiant FIR and MIR emissions. The time history of these radiations has also been recorded. The intense MIR radiation is a new line observed in the ammonia laser.     

Evidence of four-wave parametric interaction in optically pumped NH3

This paper reports the first evidence of a near-resonant four-wave parametric interaction in gaseous ammonia using a single-pass NH₃ cell pumped by a 9R16 CO₂ TEA laser. Experimental signatures of these processes are clearly revealed by an accurate time-history of the FIR/MIR emission and by detuning measurements. A theoretical model is used to identify the relevant mechanisms responsible for each emission and confirms that both the 12.2 μm and 12.08 μm lines are produced by a four-wave parametric interaction involving the pump and two FIR lines.     

Discovery and frequency measurement of far-infrared laser emissions generated by optically pumped CH2DOH

A recently improved three-laser heterodyne system was used to frequency measure ten previously observed optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) laser emissions from the partially deuterated methanol isotopologue CH₂DOH. Also, a 64.0 μm FIR emission generated by the 9P32 line of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser was discovered and frequency measured. These newly measured frequencies have fractional uncertainties on the order of ±2×10^-7 and correspond to laser wavelengths ranging from 42.6 to 152.7 μm. The offset frequency for the CO₂ pump laser was measured for twenty-two CH₂DOH FIR laser emissions. PACS 07.57.Hm; 42.55Lt; 42.62.Eh     

New Optically Pumped FIR Laser Lines and Frequency Measurements from CH3OD

This work reports the discovery of 45 new optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) laser lines from CH₃OD in the range 42.6 m to 207.2 m. A highly efficient CO₂ laser was used as the pump laser for an Optically-pumped Fabry-Perot FIR laser. The frequencies of most of the new lines were measured in the range 1.7 to 6.4 THz. Twenty-eight CO₂ lines were used as pump lines; nineteen of these had frequencies lower than those previously used to pump CH₃OD in a FIR laser. Sixteen of the new FIR lines had absorption transitions which belong to the OD bending vibrational mode.     

High power pulsed fir laser lines from CD3OH

Sixteen FIR laser lines have been observed by optical pumping of CD₃OH with a tunable single-mode TEA CO₂ laser. Particularly large outputs are observed at 70.6 μm (10 P20 pump), 69.9 μm (10 R22), 42.3 μm (10 R6), and 105.3 μm and 41.7 μm (10 R8).     

Development of 385-μm D2O laser for plasma diagnostics

An optically-pumped 385-μm D₂O laser has been constructed for Thomson scattering ion temperature measurements in tokamak plasma. Stable single mode and stable tunable (over ±1 GHz) operation of the pump 9R (22) TEA CO₂ laser is performed by using an intracavity ZnSe etalon which is temperature-controlled within ±0.01°C. The saturation broadening with D₂O absorption line is observed for the first time using the tunable 9R (22) CO₂ laser. The pressure broadening coefficient of the N₂O absorption line is measured to be 7.6 MHz/torr using the ±1 GHz tunable 385-μm D₂O Raman laser. At 385 μm, an output quantum efficiency as high as 21% is obtained.     

Rate equations for an optically-pumped,far infrared laser

Rate equations for an optically-pumped, far infrared laser are developed and solved for the case of a high intensity, pulsed pump beam. Conditions for saturated absorption and for saturated stimulated emission are established. A comparison is made to experimental data for absorption of 9.55 μm, CO₂ laser radiation in CH₃F. Generalized requirements for efficient, high power, FIR laser oscillator-amplifier systems are discussed.     

New cw FIR laser lines from optically pumped silyl fluoride (SiH3F)

FIR laser action has been observed for the first time in a molecule containing silicon: silyl fluoride, SiH₃F. Eleven new cw optically pumped lines between 187 and 1014m were detected from both open resonator and waveguide structures. Although the chlorine analogue, SiH₃Cl, showed strong absorption at every CO₂ laser frequency no FIR laser emission was detected at the pump powers available.     

Far-infrared super-radiant laser action in heavy water

Super-radiant output from D₂O pumped by up to 10 J pulses of the CO₂ P(32), R(12) and R(22) laser transitions gave measured energies of 330 mJ, 240 mJ and 120 mJ respectively. In the R(12) case the emission was at 361 μm and 385 μm in the intensity ratio of 1:2, the average power was 1–2 MW and peak powers of about 5 MW were measured.     

Focusing effects in nonlinear resonant four-wave mixing (RFWM) MIR and FIR generation

Summary The influence of pump beam geometry in a NH₃ superradiant Raman FIR laser with RFWM generation of MIR emission has been analysed. We have observed that, in general, MIR radiation is emitted in a stimulated configuration, so pump and MIR beam overlap is basically important to exhibit an efficient RFWM. In particular, strong focusing, also in the presence of self-focusing, shows a lowering of the threshold of Raman FIR emission, as expected, plus a reduction of RFWM MIR emission. COMB-Arrich., CRE Frascati.     

Infrared and far-infrared laser emissions from a TE CO2 laser pumped NH3 gas

In this paper, infrared (IR) and far-infrared (FIR) laser emissions from a TE CO₂ laser pumped NH₃ gas are reported. 8 IR laser emissions near the wavelength of 12 μm were observed by using 4 different CO₂ laser lines for the pumping. 3 IR laser emissions in P-branch of vibrational-rotational band (ν₂ → G) oscillated simultaneously in two pumping cases, i.e. pumping with the R(30) or R(16) line of 9.4 μm band from the CO₂ laser. 26 FIR laser emissions (26.45 μm ～ 281.0 μm) were observed by using 12 different CO₂ laser lines, and the 10 FIR emissions of them may be new laser emissions as far as we know.     

Experimental Study of Pulsed Optically Pumped Superradiant and Cavity NH3 Far-Infrared Laser

Using a grating tuned TEA-CO2 laser with 10R(8) and 9R(16) line to pumped superradiant NH3 far-infrared (FIR) laser which operated in the mode of amplified stimulated emission and Fabry-Perot cavity NH3 FIR laser with a sample tube of 100cm and 20cm in length respectively, the corresponding pulsed FIR lasers were obtained successfully. Meantime, the experimental measure method was improved. Besides, the operating performance and the spectral characteristics of superradiant and cavity NH3-OPFIRL were studied experimentally.     

Pump polarization effect in a superradiant NH3 and CH3F FIR Raman laser

The pump polarization has an evident effect on a superradiant FIR Raman laser both in NH₃ and CH₃F gases when the pump detuning from the resonant line is larger than the Raby frequency. In particular for R resonant lines the circular polarization shows a spontaneous gain about 1.5 times greater than the linear polarization as expected from the theory.     

Tuning characteristics of a high pressure CO2 laser pumped CH3F Raman laser

Conclusion We described a CH₃F Raman laser pumped by a two stage 20 atmospheres CO₂ laser. The emission spectrum of the CH₃F laser at 11 Torr extends from 23 cm^–1 to 45 cm^–1 when the CO₂ laser is scanned over the 9R emission branch at a fixed pump power of 180 mJ. The emission spectrum shows a strong structure with large parts where the FIR energy decreases to zero. This fact makes the use of such a laser for spectroscopic scanning experiments in the FIR difficult. The laser is, however, very suited for working at fixed but adjustable FIR frequencies. The pulse energy in the maxima of the emission characteristics at a pump energy of 180 mJ exceeds 300 J, which corresponds a photon conversion coefficient of more than 6%.