Compact, high power FIR NH3 laser pumped in a three mirror CO2 laser cavity

A compact CO₂–NH₃ FIR laser system where an NH₃ laser cavity was inserted in pump, three mirror CO₂ laser cavity was designed. The total length of this system was about 1.8 m. Output energy of about 1 mJ (10 KW pea power) was obtained at the 152 m and 90 m lines in NH₃. Power conversion efficiency of 1.7 percent was obtained at the 90 m line.     

Optically pumped submillimeter laser lines from CH2F2 and CD2Cl2 using a12C18O2 CW laser

Thirty-nine new submillimetre laser lines in CH₂F₂ and twelve in CD₂Cl₂ have been obtained in a Fabry-Perot FIR resonator by optically pumping with a CW¹²C¹⁸O₂ laser. The wavelength range obtained for CH₂F₂ is 126m to 1091m and for CD₂Cl₂ 212m to 774m. The wavelength measurements are accurate to within 5.10^–3. The relative polarisations of the pump laser and the FIR laser output were also determined. Tentative assignments of the IR and FIR transitions were made using existing microwave data.     

Frequencies and wavelengths from a new, efficient FIR lasing gas: CD2F2

We report for the first time wavelength, relative polarization, and frequency measurements for 47 new cw FIR laser lines in the wavelength region from 120 to 1714 m, all obtained by optically pumping CD₂F₂ with a CO₂ laser. Relative output powers were also measured. For comparison, the 189.8 m line pumped by R_I(34) is nearly five times as efficient as the 118.8 m methyl alcohol line.Contribution of the U.S. Government, not subject to copyright.     

Wavelengths for new CH3OH laser lines

Using a grating-tuned CO₂-TEA laser to pump CH₃OH in a metallic-wave-guide resonator, submillimeter laser emissions have been produced by pumping with 36 lines in the 9.4m CO₂ band and with 23 lines in the 10.6m band. Several dozen new SMM laser lines were observed. Wavelengths accurate to within 0.1% are given for 12 previously unmeasured lines between 34m and 225m.     

New FIR Laser Lines from CD3OH

Fourteen new optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) laser lines in the range 46.8 m to 172.6 m were discovered in optically pumped CD₃OH. The pump sources include both the CO₂ laser and the N₂O laser. Two theoretically predicted laser lines were observed in this study.     

FIR gain measurements in cw laser pumped CH3OD

Direct measurements of small signal and saturated gain in cw laser pumped CH₃OD are reported for three lasing transitions of 57 m, 82 m and 103 m. The 57 m transition has a measured gain of 0.6/m, the strongest gain in methanol reported so far. Moreover small gain saturation of this line makes it to be one of the strongest known cw FIR laser lines.     

Far-Infrared Laser Stark Spectroscopy of CH3OD

The high resolution Stark spectra of the singly deuterated methanol isotope, CH₃OD, have been studied using the HCN laser with Stark fields up to approximately 60 000 V/cm. Numerous families of absorption lines have been observed in both parallel and perpendicular polarizations, resulting in the following assignments: with the 311 m line – J _K = 18₁ 18₀ E ₂, _t = 1; and with the 337 m line – J _k = 6₄ 5₃ E ₂, _t = 0 and J _K = 14₆ 13₅ A, _t = 1. Zero-field frequencies for the assigned transitions are in agreement with Fourier transform measurements and those calculated from the available molecular constants.     

The Spectrum of Ground-State Reversed Transition of CH3OH Far-Infrared Laser

Using the CH₃OH molecular energy levels data base management program, we deduced that when a CH₃OH laser pumped by CO₂-9P(16) line, there should be a FIR laser line of 918m wavelength, which corresponding to a transition in ground-state reversed three-level energy system. For the first time, the spectra of ground-state reversed three-level system transitions were calculated by solving the density matrix equations, and the spectrum characteristics of 918m line were studied. Experimentally, the CH₃OH FIR laser line of 918m wavelength was obtained by pumping with a TEA-CO₂ laser. The experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical calculations.     

High repetition rate CH4 laser

A 16-m CF₄ laser oscillator has operated at 1 kHz in a cooled static cell. Pump energies required from the low pressure, Q-switched, cw discharge CO₂ laser were as low as 60 J. The laser cavity employed a multiple-pass off-axis path resonator in a ring configuration. CF₄ laser power at 615 cm^–1 and a 1-kHz repetition rate exceeded 300 W.     

Submillimeter laser action of CW optically pumped CF2Cl2 (Fluorocarbon 12)

Eleven new CW far infrared (FIR) laser lines have been observed in the 600 m–1200 m range from the CF₂Cl₂ (Fluorocarbon 12) molecule optically pumped by a CO₂ laser. A 510^–4–10^–3 accuracy is achieved in the measurement of the FIR wavelengths.The frequency offset between the CO₂ pump center and the absorption line centers are measured using the transferred Lamb dip technique. Owing to a recent spectroscopic study of the CF₂ ³⁵Cl₂ molecule three lines may be assigned with great confidence as rotational transitions in thev ₆ vibrational band 923 cm^–1 of this main isotope.     

Laser stark spectroscopy of13CH3F

The far-infrared laser Stark spectrum of¹³CH₃F has been observed using the 190 m line of the DCN laser. The spectrum was taken at room temperature for both parallel and perpendicular polarizations up to 60,000V/cm. We identify the transition as J_k=32₁₄31₁₄ in the ground vibrational state. The measured zero-field frequency for this transition is in agreement with that calculated from the available molecular constants.     

Far infrared laser frequencies of CH3OD and N2H4

The frequencies of 26 laser lines with wavelengths between 57 and 534 m have been measured in the optically pumped laser gases CH₃OD and N₂H₄. A pair of stabilized cw 12_{CO 2} lasers was used as a frequency standard for the heterodyne frequency measurements. Seven of the 26 lines are new.     

Radiation Source in the Ranges 2.1–2.3 and 3.7–4.3 μm for the Spectroscopy of the Atmosphere

To expand the possibilities of spectroscopic systems based on a CO₂ laser, we have mixed the frequencies of its radiation with the radiation of erbium lasers. Simultaneous use of Er³⁺:CaF₂ ( = 2.76 m) and Er³⁺:YAG lasers ( = 2.96 m) makes it possible for the spectrum of generated sum and difference frequencies to overlap the ranges 2.2–2.3 and 3.6–4.3 m that coincide with the atmospheric transparency windows. Generation of the difference frequencies of radiation of erbium lasers and of the 10.6-m radiation of a CO₂ laser were observed in CdSe at a phase-matching angle of 72°40. In a bleached CdSe crystal of length 40 mm the efficiency of transformation has attained 12%. To sum up the frequencies, 4.5-mm ZnGeP₂ crystals were used, with the efficiency of transformation being 3% and the phase-matching angle being equal to 52°.     

Frequency measurements on far-infrared emissions from12C16O2-pumped methyl chloride and from12C18O2-pumped difluoromethane

The frequencies of 42 far-infrared laser lines have been measured by mixing with high-order harmonics of microwave frequencies in a Josephson junction. A total of 5 emissions between 334 and 1887 m have been measured from¹²C¹⁶O₂-pumped methyl chloride (CH₃Cl) and 37 emissions between 116 and 1092 m in¹²C¹⁸O₂-pumped difluoromethane (CH₂F₂). Additional data is given on the laser emission characteristics.Division of Electrical Science, National Physical Laboratory     

New far infrared laser lines obtained by optically pumping13CD3OD

We have obtained laser action on 34 far infrared lines for the first time in fully deuterated methyl alcohol with the¹³C isotope (¹³CD₃OD), and we have measured the frequency of 13 lines. The molecule was pumped by a cw CO₂ laser. We have measured the wavelength, the relative polarization, the relative intensity of most lines, the frequency, and the CO₂ pump frequency offset of the strongest lines. The new lines are distributed in the wavelength region from 75.27 m to 464.7 m.Supported in part by a joint grant with the U.S. National Science Foundation grant # INT 80-19014 and the Brazilian Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas (CNPq).     

Frequency measurements of far infrared cw lasing lines in optically pumped CHCl2F

The wavelengths, frequencies, and relative polarizations of 15 FIR cw lasing lines obtained by optically pumping CHCl₂F with a cw CO₂ laser have been measured. The lines are in the wavelength range from 340.3 to 905.4 m and were pumped by P- and R-branch laser lines in the 9 m band of CO₂.Supported in part by a joint grant with the U. S. National Science Foundation grant # INT80-19014 and the Brazilian Consellio Nacional de Pesquisas (CNPq)Contribution of the U. S. Government, not subject to copyright.     

Frequency Measurements of Optically Pumped Laser Emissions from the CHD2OH Methanol Isotope

A threelaser heterodyne system was used to measure the frequencies of eleven optically pumped laser emissions from CHD₂OH in the farinfrared (FIR) region. These frequencies, reported with fractional uncertainties of the order ± 2 × 10^–7, are for emissions ranging from 102.9 to 212.4 m. To our knowledge, these measurements are the first reported FIR laser frequencies for the CHD₂OH methanol isotope when used as an optically pumped laser medium.     

Diode-pumped cw and Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 laser operating at 1.34 μm

A diode-pumped 1.34 m Nd:GdVO₄ laser operating in cw and active Q-switching modes has been demonstrated. 4.15 W of cw output power was obtained at the highest attainable pump power of 12.3 W, resulting in an optical conversion efficiency of 33.7%, the slope efficiency was determined to be 37.6%. In Q-switching operation, a maximum average output power of 2.7 W was generated at pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 50 kHz, with an optical conversion efficiency of 22% and a slope efficiency of 29.2%. The laser pulses with shortest duration, highest energy and peak power were achieved at PRF of 10 kHz, the parameters being 15 ns, 160 J, and 10.7 kW, respectively. By intracavity frequency-doubling with a type II phased-matched KTP crystal, 0.62 W average power at 0.67 m was produced at a PRF of 15 kHz, the resulting pulse energy, peak power, and pulse width being 41.3 J, 2.2 kW, and 19 ns, respectively. A group of analytical formulae, based on rate equations, are presented to evaluate the operational parameters of an actively Q-switched laser. Calculated results were found to be in close consistency with the experimental data.     

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH3OH laser for plasma diagnostics

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH₃OH laser has been constructed for use in plasma diagnostics. The antisymmetric doublet due to the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is reproducibly observed at 118.8 m. With the 118.8-m line, it is obtained from the frequency separation of the anti-symmetric doublet that CH₃OH absorption line center is 16±1 MHz higher than the pump 9.7-m P(36) CO₂ laser line center. It is shown that the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is useful in order to get several-MHz phase modulation for the far-infrared laser interferometer. Some preliminary performances of this twin laser for the modulated interferometer are described.This work was carried out under the collaborating research program at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464, Japan.