Inventors:
Richard F. Begley - Los Alamos NM
Norman A. Kurnit - Santa Fe NM
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC
International Classification:
H03F 704
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for achieving large susceptibilities and long interaction lengths in the generation of new wavelengths in the infrared spectral region. A process of resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing is employed, utilizing existing laser sources, such as the CO. sub. 2 laser, to irradiate a gaseous media. The gaseous media, comprising NH. sub. 3, CH. sub. 3 F, D. sub. 2, HCl, HF, CO, and H. sub. 2 or some combination thereof, are of particular interest since they are capable of providing high repetition rate operation at high flux densities where crystal damage problems become a limitation.