Abstract

Recent progress in realizing coherent, tunable emission in anti-Stokes Raman laser (ASRL) devices^1,2 suggests that these techniques may prove valuable in generating new, high power, VUV sources. In this paper we present experiments in which chemically pumped CO has been studied as a storage medium for such Raman lasers operating in the VUV. Excited CO is particularly attractive as a medium for ASRL action due to the ease with which it can be prepared, the large energy shift (e.g. 3–4 eV), and the position and strength of the various electronic transitions. Initial experiments aimed at constructing an ASRL tunable from 140 nm to 170 nm with mJ output energy have been conducted, and we report spectroscopic studies in which excimer and tunable laser sources have been used to pump the CO inversion in a small scale device. Although ASRL action is yet to be achieved, these studies indicate that such a device is indeed feasible as an excimer laser up-converter.

© 1983 Optical Society of America