10. 6-. mu. m amplification in metallic waveguide by external discharge pumping

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JQE.1976.1069039· OSTI ID:7363360

Koepf, G A

Amplification of 10.6-..mu..m radiation in a metallic waveguide and waveguide CO/sub 2/-laser action was achieved by excitation of the CO/sub 2/ (00/sup 0/1) mode by vibrational energy transfer from metastable N/sub 2/*(..nu.. = 1) molecules. Excitation of N/sub 2/ was accomplished in a separate dc discharge tube. The N/sub 2/-He mixture, after flowing through the discharge region, was pumped into the waveguide and there CO/sub 2/ was added. Maximum small-signal gain values of 25.6 and 15.3 dB/m were obtained at amplifying waveguide sections of 2 and 6-cm length, respectively. A theoretical analysis, based on rate equations for the (00/sup 0/1) and the (10/sup 0/0) states of CO/sub 2/ and the concentration of N/sub 2/*(..nu.. = 1) molecules, is presented, which leads to predictions for the small-signal gain and the saturation intensity. In the pressure range covered by experiments the calculated gain values were found to be consistent with measurements.

• Research Organization: Technische Hochschuele, Vienna
• OSTI ID: 7363360
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. QE-12:1; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FLUIDS
GAIN
GAS LASERS
LASERS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PUMPING
WAVEGUIDES