Scalable Tunable IR Lasers

Abstract

This paper discusses some of the practical operating characteristics and limitations of tunable infrared sources including semiconductor lasers, spin-flip Raman lasers, and nonlinear mixers. In particular, those characteristics which are important for applications in high resolution spectroscopy and laser induced photochemistry and diagnostics are discussed. These fields are still in an early stage of their development with a substantial amount of work yet to be done in the laboratory using small to moderately powered laser systems. Industrial photochemical processes will require efficient and high average power laser sources at a specific frequency once a specific technique has been demonstrated in the laboratory. A significant impact in the above areas will occur when tunable sources that are simple to operate, inexpensive, and cover a broad wavelength range with pulsed and moderately high average (several watts) power output and high resolution capability are made available to the research community. Substantial progress in this direction is expected to occur in the next few years.

This work was sponsored by the Department of the Air Force, NSF/RANN, and the U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration under a subcontract from the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.