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Characteristics of a far-infrared molecular laser optically pumped by a high-power CO2 laser

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Abstract

A molecular far-infrared (FIR) laser optically pumped by a high-power CO2 laser, which is a powerful source for testing detectors and mixers and for FIR spectroscopy, is constructed and the performance is examined through experiments. At frequencies between 580GHz and 4.25THz, FIR output power is more than 20∼30m W by pumping power of 35∼81W. Amplitude stability of ±3% is obtained at 100m W output at 2.52THz for over 30 minutes when the FIR tube is cooled at 5°C by a chiller.

As an application to testing mixers, FIR laser lines up to 4.25 THz are detected by Schottky barrier diodes (SBD). Further, using a SBD, performance of absolute frequency stability at 693GHz of HCOOH oscillation is measured by harmonic mixing with a 115.5GHz millimeter wave from a phase-locked Gunn oscillator. The resultant center-frequency stability is 100kHz per 10 minutes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Communications Research Laboratory, 4-2-1 Nukui-kita, 184, Koganei Tokyo, Japan

    T. Hori & N. Hiromot

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  1. T. Hori
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  2. N. Hiromot
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Hori, T., Hiromot, N. Characteristics of a far-infrared molecular laser optically pumped by a high-power CO2 laser. Int J Infrared Milli Waves 13, 483–496 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01010707

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01010707

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