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Title: Standing-wave forward-backward gain asymmetry in optically pumped gas lasers

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

A new type of forward-backward asymmetry is reported for the 119-..mu..m emission from a linear-cavity CH/sub 3/OH laser, near-resonantly pumped by a continuous-wave CO/sub 2/ laser. The observed asymmetry is related to a strong traveling-wave pump field and also saturating standing-wave--generated fields, a situation typical for most optically pumped linear-cavity gas lasers. A simple interpretation of the experimental results is given in terms of multiphoton processes involving one pump photon and several generated photons.

Research Organization:
Institut fuer Plasmaforschung, Universitaet Stuttgart, D-7000 Stuttgart 80, Federal Republic of Germany
OSTI ID:
5054987
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 57:7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English