FIR Stark spectroscopy on optically pumped CH3OH laser

An extensive theoretical and experimental analysis of the absorption and emission spectrum of a CH₃OH FIR-laser excited by a conventional CO₂ laser is presented. Particular interest is devoted to the Stark shifts of the pump and lasing lines and to the electric field dependence of the Fir-laser output of the various lines. The offsets with respect to the exciting radiation and the Stark shifts of the IR absorption (pump) lines are measured by means of the transferred Lamb dip technique. The theoretical behaviours of the Stark patterns are calculated for several choices of the quantum numbers and selection rules involved in the transitions. A large variety of experimental results are reported and compared to theory. Non-linear Stark shifts have been observed for the 37.5m FIR laser line and for the IR-pump transitions excited by the 9-P(38) and 10-R(38) CO₂ laser Lines. Line assignments are proposed and new FIR laser lines are reported.     

Acoustooptic extension of the frequency tunability of CW CO2 lasers: New FIR lasers emissions from CH3OH and13CH3OH

We have increased the frequency tunability of our CW waveguide CO₂ lasers by means of an acoustooptic amplitude modulator, operating at the fixed frequency of 90 MHz. The up-shifted, or down-shifted, laser optical sideband can be generated independently by adjusting the orientation of the modulator. The efficiency is larger than 50%. The frequency tunability of the CO₂ laser around each laser line is thus increased by 180 MHz. To demonstrate the possibilities of this method, a source composed of the above modulator and of a CW, 300 MHz tunable waveguide CO₂ laser has been used for the search of new large offset FIR laser lines from optically pumped CH₃OH and¹³CH₃OH molecules. As a result 15 and 10 new large offset laser lines were discovered respectively. New assignments of some laser lines are also proposed. We have also measured the Stark effect, the offset, and the polarization of other already known lines. In particular a Stark effect frequency tuning of about 1 GHz is demonstrated for a laser line at 208.399 m.     

Operating parameter optimization of optically pumped CH3OH far-infrared laser

By solving the density matrix equations of a quantum system, the output power intensity of an optically pumped CH₃OH FIR laser (CH₃OH-OPFIRL) was calculated by means of iteration method, and the spectral characteristics were got. Base on the calculation, optimization of operating parameters including operating gas pressure, pumped power and output coupling coefficient of the CH₃OH cavity laser were systematically studied. Experimental, a series of FIR emissions of the CH₃OH cavity laser pumped by TEA-CO₂ laser with 9P(16) line were measured. The experimental results were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. The project was supported by the Special Research Foundation of Doctorate Station in University of P.R.C.     

Microwave spectrum of the heterodimers: CH3OH-CO2 and CH3OH-H2CO

Molecular complexes, dimers and heterodimers often show interesting structures, large amplitude internal motions and orientations for reaction coordinates. These properties were the motivations for the current study of the rotational spectra of the heterodimers, CH₃OH-CO₂ and CH₃OH-H₂CO, in a pulsed nozzle Fourier-transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometer. In addition to studying the normal isotopic forms, several isotopologues containing ¹³C or deuterium substituted atoms of each heterodimer were analyzed in order to obtain structural data of the complexes. All species showed splittings from internal rotation of the methyl group and splittings on the b-type transitions of the CH₃OH-H₂CO species suggesting rotation of the H₂CO group between equivalent structural forms. Stark effect measurements on each of the parent species provided dipole moment components. Theoretical ab initio results are compared to the experimentally determined molecular parameters.     

A high power CH3OH FIR laser system with long-term stability

A CH₃OH FIR system has been developed for plasma diagnostics. A CO₂ laser devoted to pump the CH₃OH molecule has been studied. Different internal diameters of FIR cavity, input coupling holes and focusing lenses have been experimented.It has been found that the system formed by three subsystems-pump laser, guiding channel and FIR cavity-behaves like an unique system. A long term stability has been reached with a proper system design.Work supported by ENEA contract No. C/451 (Dipart. Fusione, Associazione Euratom-Enea, CRE Frascati, C.P. 65, 00044 Frascati, Italy).Student     

13CH3OH and13CD3OH optically pumped fir laser: New large offset emission and optoacoustic spectroscopy

27 new, large offset, FIR laser lines from¹³CH₃OH and one from¹³CD₃OH have been discovered by pumping with a high tunability waveguide CW CO₂ laser. Optoacoustic measurements of isotopic methyl alcohol have also been performed and the pump offsets of the new and of previously known lines have been measured and checked. Frequency tunability by Stark effect has been observed for 6 strong lines. Some assignments are discussed.     

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.     

Optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy and FIR laser action on CH3Br using a waveguide CO2 laser

The optoacoustic spectrum of CH₃Br around 10 m band lines of a tunable cw waveguide CO₂ laser is investigated. Several new infrared absorptions are observed and most of the correspond ing molecular transitions are assigned. Far infra red laser action is reported by pumping with the same CO₂ laser: pump offsets are given using the Transferred Lambs dip (TLD) technique. A new FIR laser emission is obtained and assigned. An optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy technique is used to investigate off resonance infrared tran sitions.     

Single line high efficiency tunable fir generation by resonant four-wave mixing in CH3 pumped by a multiatmosphere tunable CO2 laser

By pumping CH₃F with a high pressure tunable TE-CO₂ laser, the resonant four-wave mixing process (RFWM) generates a very efficient tunable single line FIR emission at the Raman frequency. This result is strictly related to the spectroscopic structure of the CH₃F molecule. By means of this process, a tunable FIR emission on a 0.1 cm^–1 bandwidth 150 kW (8 mJ) single line, is obtained which can be used for many FIR multiphoton applications.     

Level crossing in microwave spectroscopy of CH3F

Stark tuned level crossing resonances have been detected in CH₃F through non-linear microwave absorption. In our experiments, the level crossing width is about ten times smaller than the Doppler width.     

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.     

Further new CW FIR lasting investigations in CH3I,13CH3I and CD3I: New lines and assignments

Forty seven new CW FIR emissions lines have been observed in CH₃I,¹³CH₃I and CD₃I, optically pumped by a CO₂ laser and a N₂ laser, in a metallic waveguide resonator. Assignments are given for a large number of these new lines.     

13CH3F and12CH3 mixture FIR Raman lasar

Experimental results of the investigation of¹³CH₃F and¹²CH₃F isotopic mixture as an active medium of optically pumped FIR laser are presented. The experimental data of the output FIR and MIR radiation are given.     

Torsional refilling transitions in tea-pumped CH3OH fir lasers with associated high-resolution fir spectra

It is proposed that a number of the high-frequency far-infrared (FIR) laser lines observed when CH₃OH is optically pumped by high-power CO₂ TEA lasers can be identified as refilling torsional transitions within the vibrational ground state. Assignments are presented for 8 such TEA-pump/FIR-laser refilling systems. To provide support for the assigned laser frequencies, high-resolution Fourier transform FIR spectra of CH₃OH have been obtained and partially analyzed in the torsional transition region.     

Experimental study on miniature pulsed CH3OH far-infrared laser

Using a grating tuned TEA-CO₂ laser with 9P(16) line to pump a 10cm or 20cm long miniature Fabry-Perot cavity CH₃OH laser, pulsed far infrared(FIR) lines of 570.6um and 918um wavelengths were observed, the latter is a new line. Operation performance and spectral characteristics of the miniature CH₃OH laser were studied. The project was supported by the Special Research Foundation of Doctorate Station in University of P.R.C.     

Methanol laser lines from torsionally excited co stretch states, and from OH-bend, CH3-rock, and CH3-deformation states

Using a quasi-CW CO₂ oscillator-amplifier combination with peak power 300 Watt, we have generated FIR laser emission in weak absorption bands of CH₃OH. 40 new lines are reported, and their wavelengths are measured with a relative accuracy of 5×10^–5. A total of 72 lines are assigned. 34 of these involve torsional n=1, 2, and 3 states of the CO stretch and the vibrational ground state. The remaining lines are associated with the CH₃-rock, OH-bend, and CH₃-deformation modes. The latter are located 1460 cm^–1 above the ground state, and are pumped by simultaneous vibrational excitation and torsional deexcitation.     

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%.     

PAM analysis of the microwave spectra of thioacetic acid,CH3COSH and CH3COSD

The microwave spectra of two isotopic species of thioacetic acid, CH₃COSH and CH₃COSD, have been studied. Using the principal axis method (PAM), including terms through n = 6 in the perturbation series and the denominator correction, the spectra were analyzed and 45 lines for CH₃COSH and 40 lines for CH₃COSD were assigned. The parameters obtained by the least-squares analysis are A = 9913.29 ± 0.56 MHz, B = 4923.11 ± 0.23 MHz, C = 3354.60 ± 0.24 MHz, θ = 57.080 ± 0.030°, s = 6.2980 ± 0.0012, and I_α = 3.198 ± 0.020 amu$\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$ for CH₃COSH, and A = 9662.80 ± 0.78 MHz, B = 4810.74 ± 0.26 MHz, C = 3273.92 ± 0.18 MHz, θ = 55.097 ± 0.024°, s = 5.9742 ± 0.0016, and I_α = 3.171 ± 0.020 amu$\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$ for CH₃COSD. The barrier to internal rotation of the methyl group is V₃ = 222.6 ± 1.4 cal/mole for CH₃COSH and V₃ = 212.9 ± 1.4 cal/mole for CH₃COSD. The Stark effect measurements of A species transitions for CH₃COSH led to the dipole moment μ = 1.821 ± 0.013 D with the components μ_a = 0.191 ± 0.010 D and μ_b = 1.811 ± 0.013 D.     

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).     

Assignments of fir laser emissions from CH3OH optically pumped by an intra-cavity etalon tuned TEA-CO2 laser

The author reports that TEA-CO₂ with an intra-cavity etalon is a useful pumping source which can deliver widely tunable beam (tunable range 1 GHz) with accurate oscillation frequencies and with high power compared to a tunable wave guide laser.The source is applied to the excitations of CH₃OH and the FIR emissions from it are well assigned for there absorption transitions and FIR emissions. This proves that the source display not only usefulness for development of new FIR emissions but also for molecular spectroscopy.