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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
09:38
Characterizing Far-infrared Laser Emissions and the Measurement of Their Frequencies
Published on: December 18, 2015
Continuously tunable CH3F Raman far-infrared laser
1Département de Physique et Laboratoire de Recherche en Optique et Laser, Université Laval, Québec GiK 7P4, Canada.
Optics Letters
|August 25, 2009
Summary
Researchers generated tunable far-infrared laser pulses using methyl fluoride (CH(3)F) and a carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser. This breakthrough enables quasi-continuous tuning across a wide spectral range for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
- Molecular Spectroscopy
Background:
- Far-infrared (FIR) lasers are crucial for spectroscopy and material science.
- Generating tunable FIR radiation has been a long-standing challenge in laser physics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for producing tunable far-infrared laser pulses.
- To investigate the potential of methyl fluoride (CH(3)F) as a gain medium for FIR lasers.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a multiatmosphere, continuously tunable carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser as the pump source.
- Employing methyl fluoride (CH(3)F) as the active medium for laser generation.
- Achieving laser action via two-photon (Raman) transitions within the CH(3)F nu(3) band.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated approximately 0.2-mJ far-infrared laser pulses.
- Achieved quasi-continuous tuning over approximately 85% of the 220–400 micrometer range.
- Demonstrated the efficacy of CO(2) laser pumping for CH(3)F FIR laser action.
Conclusions:
- The developed technique provides a highly tunable FIR laser source.
- This method opens new possibilities for spectroscopic studies in the far-infrared region.
- The results highlight the potential of molecular gases for efficient FIR laser generation.
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