Abstract
Compactness of a source dictates reduction of both CO2 pumping laser and FIR cell dimensions as well as an increase of the cell resonator wavelength range. An effective operation of the cell can be obtained by using a waveguide resonator that is coupled via a hole in an end mirror. A metal waveguide is preferable because its attenuation constant is proportional to λ3'2 instead of λ2 for the dielectric one. The reduction of laser system length can be obtained by using the folded resonator design with waveguide segments and the Folding Mirrors (FM).1 These principles were used as basis of our wide wavelength range (0.07-1 mm) laser system shown in Fig. 1. A transversely radio-frequency excited waveguide 10 W C02 laser is used for optical pumping. It has an alumina ceramic waveguide "u"-fold resonator with waveguide of 4 X 4 X 500 mm3. Wavelength tuning and energy coupling is carried out by a 100 groove/mm grating G. A reflector R connected with the grating provides beam angular deflection compensation when tuning the laser. The FIR resonator consists of mirrors M„ M2, FM and two 0.42-m length 19.8-mm inner diameter copper waveguides. Pump radiation enters in the resonator axially through a pinhole in mirror M,. The resonator length L is determined using the experimental dependence of output power on resonator length for six wavelength values and taking into account the FM system size. Output power data are presented in the table for the optimum coupling hole diameter d and active gas pressure. For comparison, the 56-mm inner diameter glass waveguide cell data obtained for the same pump power levels are presented in the last column of the table.
© 1994 Optical Society of America
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