Line-tunable cw ortho- and para-NH/sub 3/ lasers operating at wavelengths of 11 to 14. mu. m

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Appl. Opt.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.25.002929· OSTI ID:5106314

Kroeker, D F; Reid, J

A cw CO/sub 2/ laser operating on the 9R(30) line was used to pump either the sR(5,0) or the sR(5,1) transition of NH/sub 3/. Collisions with a buffer gas (either N/sub 2/ or Ar) thermalized the NH/sub 3/ rotational population, and gain occurred throughout the ..nu../sub 2/ band. As there is no collisional coupling of ortho-NH/sub 3/ (K = 3n) to para (K = 3n +- 1) states, it was necessary to pump the two species separately. Output powers as high as 5.5 W and conversion efficiencies of 33% were measured. A total of sixty-five (ortho and para) transitions were observed to lase at wavelengths ranging from 10.3 to 13.8 ..mu..m. The operation of the laser is in good agreement with the predictions of a simple model.

• Research Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1
• OSTI ID: 5106314
• Journal Information: Appl. Opt.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Opt.; (United States) Vol. 25:17; ISSN APOPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMMONIA
AMPLIFICATION
DATA
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GAIN
GAS LASERS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INFRARED RADIATION
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
OPERATION
OPTICAL PUMPING
PERFORMANCE
POWER RANGE 1-10 GW
PUMPING
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
RADIATIONS
ROTATIONAL STATES
STIMULATED EMISSION
TUNING
WAVELENGTHS