Apparatus and method for generating continuous wave 16. mu. M laser radiation using gaseous CF

Patent · Tue Jul 08 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5468323

Telle, J M

An apparatus is described for generating cw 16 ..mu..m laser radiation in gaseous CF/sub 4/, which comprises in combination; a. a cw pump laser for generating coherent radiation in the 9 ..mu..m region of the infrared spectrum, the coherent 9 ..mu..m radiation having a wavelength appropriate for interacting with the CF/sub 4/ such that a relationship between pump power and CF/sub 4/ pressure results in a population inversion in the CF/sub 4/ suitable for producing cw laser oscillation therein; b. means for directing the coherent 9 ..mu..m radiation into the region of the CF/sub 4/ in order to permit the interaction therewith; c. means for maintaining the CF/sub 4/ gas at temperatures low enough to establish the population inversion suitable for sustaining the laser oscillation; and d. means for extracting the 16 ..mu..m cw laser radiation resulting from the laser oscillation.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): US 4599726
• OSTI ID: 5468323
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON FLUORIDES
COHERENT RADIATION
CONTROL
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GAS LASERS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INFRARED SPECTRA
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
OPERATION
OPTICAL PUMPING
OSCILLATIONS
POPULATION INVERSION
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PUMPING
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
WAVELENGTHS