Two-photon transitions in optically pumped submillimeter lasers

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JQE.1978.1069673· OSTI ID:6424957

Wiggins, J D; Drozdowicz, Z; Temkin, R J

The emission frequency of an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), optically pumped submillimeter (SMM) laser has been studied as a function of laser gas pressure for several different gases and SMM laser lines. For off resonant pumping, Fabry--Perot interferometer scans indicate a shift in emission frequency between high- and low-pressure laser operation. In high-pressure operation, emission occurs via a Raman type, two-photon process with some additional frequency offset due to the ac Stark effect. The Raman process is favored by its higher quantum efficiency over a two-step process involving single-photon transitions at the pump and SMM wavelengths. In low-pressure operation, the SMM laser emission is found to be delayed in time with respect to the pump pulse. The Raman process thus cannot occur and the two-step process is favored. This results in a shift in the SMM laser emission frequency from the Raman line to the line center frequency of the SMM laser transition. The Raman emission gain bandwidth appears to be broadened by the CO/sub 2/ pump laser bandwidth.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge
• OSTI ID: 6424957
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Vol. QE-14:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
GAS LASERS
EMISSION SPECTRA
AMMONIA
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEAVY WATER
METHYL IODIDE
OPTICAL PUMPING
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IODINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
LASERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC IODINE COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPECTRA
WATER
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)