Abstract

The generation of mode-locked far-infrared pulses by synchronous, mode-locked optical pumping by CO₂ lasers is demonstrated for the first time. The gain bandwidth implied by the observed short pulses (<1 nsec) exceeds the homogeneous linewidth of 40 MHz (T₂ = 8 nsec) under the experimental conditions and is attributed to an effective inhomogeneous broadening in molecules with a K-multiplet structure such as ¹²CH₃F and also to the presence of near-resonant stimulated Raman emission from each frequency component of the pump. This implies that the duration of pulses generated in low-pressure gases by this technique is determined by the greater of the pumping-pulse bandwidth or the linewidth of the lasing transition.

© 1979 Optical Society of America

High-intensity CO₂ laser pumping of a CH₃F Raman FIR laser

D. G. Biron, R. J. Temkin, B. Lax, and B. G. Danly
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P. E. Dyer and I. K. Perera
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