A potentially efficient, high-energy 16-μm source is proposed based on stimulated rotational Raman scattering in H
2or D
2using a TEA CO
2laser source. The calculated pump energy threshold for rotational Raman scattering on the

(0) 354.33 cm
-1Raman line of H
2at 77 K and 1 atm pressure is 3.1 J.