Abstract

Generation of anti-Stokes Raman laser has been successfully demonstrated in gas discharge of conventional Ar⁺-lasers [1]. Up to 50% of pump radiation is up-converted into anti-Stokes radiation for argon ion, unlike few percent for atomic Raman media. The output increases without saturation to high intensities of ~ 100 W/cm². In this work, the Raman generation is investigated in a scheme with starting metastable levels 3d′²G,3d (having no radiative decay differently from 3d ²P_3/2-level in Ref. ¹ with ~ 10⁸ s^-1 radiative decay rate). Efficient up-conversion (up to 60%) in 5 A-schemes, converting red radiation into blue, have been obtained. Meanwhile, output power versus pump power saturates at as low intensity as ~ 10W/cm².

© 1996 IEEE