Lasers on overtone transitions of carbon monoxide molecule

The experimental and theoretical study of lasers working on the first vibrational overtone of the CO molecule is reviewed. A theoretical model of the active medium of the CO laser and its verification are presented. The CO laser operation in a wide spectral range (2.5–4.2 μm) that spans the atmospheric transparency window is demonstrated in the review of experimental works. It is shown that the overtone CO laser can serve as an effective mid-IR source for atmospheric spectroscopy, long-distance transportation of laser radiation, remote laser sensing, etc.