Line-tunable cw ortho- and para-NH3 lasers operating at wavelengths of 11 to 14 mu

Sequential optical pumping of a far-infrared ammonia laser

We present a novel technique for resonantly pumping a continuous-wave far-infrared NH(3) laser with a linetunable mid-infrared NH(3) laser that is optically pumped by a CO(2) laser. In this two-step process we first convert 10-microm CO(2) laser photons into 11-13-microm NH(3) laser photons, which are then converted into 60-400-microm photons in a far-infrared NH(3) laser. Continuous-wave laser action on 10 far-infrared lines of (15)NH(3), including four new ones, has been obtained with a single CO(2) laser pump line.

Efficient NH(3) laser operation in the 1 6- to 21 -microm region

An optically pumped NH(3) laser is simultaneously pumped by two pulsed CO(2) lasers operating on the 9R(30) and 9R(24) transitions. Inversion is created in the NH(3) 2v(2)-to-v(2) band, and line-tunable radiation is generated in the 16- to 21-microm region. The maximum pulse energy observed is 100 mJ, with a photon conversion efficiency from 9 to 18 microm of approximately 14%.