Abstract

We report the first known observation of lasing in NH₃ on the aP(6, 2) transition at 12.26 μm. Emission is obtained by pumping the aR(4, 2) line with the P(34) 9-μm CO₂ laser line. The frequency offset between pump and absorption line center is 5.16 GHz. This pump–emission pair was chosen to minimize the effects of ac Stark shifts and population transfer and allows us to study the Raman processes occurring in this type of optically pumped laser. We have confirmed that lasing takes place by a Raman process and obtained good agreement between theory and experimental measurements of small-signal gain.

© 1982 Optical Society of America

Gain saturation in cw 12-μm NH₃ Raman lasers

Claude Rolland, Brian K. Garside, and John Reid
Appl. Opt. 24(1) 13-17 (1985)

Operation of continuous-wave 12-μm Raman lasers in NH₃ with pump offsets as large as 1.35 GHz

D. F. Kroeker, J. Reid, B. K. Garside, and C. Rolland
Opt. Lett. 11(5) 300-302 (1986)

Gain dynamics in pulsed 12-μm NH₃ lasers

H. D. Morrison, B. K. Garside, and J. Reid
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 2(4) 535-540 (1985)

12-μm NH₃ laser pumped by a sequence CO₂ laser

T. A. Znotins, J. Reid, B. K. Garside, and E. A. Ballik
Opt. Lett. 5(12) 528-530 (1980)

Investigation of cw optically pumped 12-μm NH₃ lasers using a tunable diode laser

C. Rolland, J. Reid, B. K. Garside, H. D. Morrison, and P. E. Jessop
Appl. Opt. 23(1) 87-93 (1984)