Abstract

Coherent radiation at several wavelengths in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) has been generated by four-wave parametric oscillation in mercury vapor. When a powerful ultraviolet pump laser of frequency ω_p is tuned to a two-photon resonance, VUV signal photons at frequency ω_s, as well as idler photons at frequency ω_i, are generated such that ω_s + ω_i = 2ω_p. A frequency-doubled dye laser tuned to two-photon resonance with the 6s6d ¹D₂ level near 280.3 nm produced output at 184.9 and 143.5 nm. A tunable krypton fluoride excimer laser tuned to two-photon resonance with the 6s10s ¹S₀ level near 248.7 nm produced output at 140.1, 130.7, 130.1, 125.9, and 125.0 nm. Approximately 1-μJ, 200-W pulses were observed at 143.5 and 125.9 nm.

© 1981 Optical Society of America

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