SEQUENTIAL OPTICAL-PUMPING OF A FAR-INFRARED AMMONIA LASER

We present a novel technique for resonantly pumping a continuous-wave far-infrared NH3 laser with a line-tunable mid-infrared NH3 laser that is optically pumped by a CO2 laser. In this two-step process we first convert 10-mu m CO2 laser photons into 11-13-mu m NH3 laser photons, which are then converted into 60-400-mu m photons in a far-infrared NH 3 laser. Continuous-wave laser action on 10 far-infrared lines of (NH3 )-N-15, including four new ones, has been obtained with a single CO2 l aser pump line.