SUPERRADIANCE EFFECTS ON THE INFRARED-ABSORPTION AND VIBRATIONAL TEMPERATURE OF OPTICALLY PUMPED MOLECULES

Using controlled feedback and coincident far infrared absorption, we h ave shown that the superradiant emission process in NH3 pumped by the 9R16 line of a CO2 TEA laser has a marked effect on the absorption of laser energy and vibrational heating of the gas. Since many polyatomic molecules pumped by IR laser are efficient superradiant far infrared sources, the effect is important for laser induced fluorescence studie s in these polyatomics.