$CO_{2}$ LASER PUMPED FAR INFRARED LASERS

Abstract

Lasing in the far infrared has been achieved over the past several years by electrical discharge through a few molecular species. Recently, workers at the Bell Telephone $Laboratories^{1}$ have created lasing in the far infrared by optically pumping molecules such as $CH_{3}OH$, $CH_{3}CN$, etc., with a $CO_{2}$ laser and producing inversion between rotational levels. In our laboratory we have produced lasing in several new systems, e.g., formic and acetic acids, $CH_{3}Cl$, $CH_{3}Br$, etc., with relatively high peak power in the 200-700 $\mu m$ region. In addition, we have pumped molecules with other lasers and have investigated molecules which are expected to have inversion with respect to two different vibrational levels.