Abstract

Several potential applications of high energy pulsed CO₂ lasers, such as optical pumping of other laser transitions and atmospheric spectroscopic measurements, require a monochromatic pulse whose frequency can be selected from a number of possible laser lines or tuned quickly from line to line. For example, in the measurement of trace atmospheric constituents using the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique, rapid switching from one wavelength to another is desirable when turbulence-induced fluctuations affect the pulse-to-pulse variability.

© 1984 Optical Society of America