Abstract

Development of broadly tunable narrow-linewidth CO₂ lasers is critical to the continued development of tunable far-infrared Raman lasers and could also improve many other optical pumping experiments. Here we extend the use of multiple intracavity gratings, a widely used dye laser technique, to multiatmosphere continuously tunable CO₂ lasers. We analyze the angular dispersion, wavelength tuning performance, and grating size requirements for several different grating configurations. Experimentally, by double passing each of two gratings worked near grazing incidence in a three-mirror 10-atm laser resonator, we have produced ∼200-mJ pulses with < 600-MHz linewidth, and our analysis shows that operation in a single longitudinal mode (SLM) should be possible at somewhat reduced output levels. The simpler experimental task of producing SLM operation in a two-grating CO₂ transversely excited atmospheric laser has also been accomplished.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Numerical investigation of a three-mirror resonator for a TE CO₂ laser

L. R. Botha, R. N. Campbell, E. Ronander, and M. M. Michaelis
Appl. Opt. 30(18) 2447-2452 (1991)

Longitudinal mode selection by injection in a high pressure CO₂ laser

C. Angelié, R. Capitini, and P. Girard
Appl. Opt. 26(6) 1074-1080 (1987)

Variable linewidth high-power TEA CO₂ laser

F. J. Duarte
Appl. Opt. 24(1) 34-37 (1985)

Single-longitudinal-mode operation of a TEA CO₂ laser with a modified Fabry-Perot interferometer

G. Kovar, D. Larouche, M. Piche, and P. A. Belanger
Appl. Opt. 24(21) 3584-3590 (1985)

CO₂ laser for lidar applications, producing two narrowly spaced independently wavelength-selectable Q-switched output pulses

Harley V. Piltingsrud
Appl. Opt. 30(27) 3952-3963 (1991)