Abstract
We have observed chaotic and periodic passive Q-switching pulsations, for the first time to our knowledge, in an 11-μm. hot-band oscillation of a CO2 laser, using SF6 and CCl2F2 as intracavity saturable absorbers. The observed pulse shapes are well reproduced by the calculation based on a novel rate-equation model with consideration of vibration–vibration energy-transfer processes between highly excited vibrational levels in the CO2 laser medium. The passive Q-switching dynamics is found to be strongly correlated with the relaxation of the lower laser level. The vibrational relaxation rate constant is estimated by the analysis of pulse shapes.
© 1992 Optical Society of America
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