High power optically pumped far infrared laser systems

Single mode, 60-80 ns pulse width, 50-70 kW peak power laser oscillators operating on the 384.6 μm line of D2O have been developed. The characteristic linewidths of these oscillators are less than 25 MHz full width at half maximum which favorably compares with the intrinsic width of 6-8 MHz associated with the pulse length of about 60 ns. A 12.7 mJ, 195 kW, 384.6μm D2O laser oscillator-amplifier combination has been constructed and tested. Although single longitudinal mode operation is attained from this oscillator-amplifier system, amplified spontaneous emission (superradiance) from the amplifier adds low power level wide-bandwidth background radiation. Studies of far infrared lasing action in CH3F and CH3I are also described.