OPTICALLY PUMPED MIDINFRARED VIBRATIONAL HYDROGEN-CHLORIDE LASER

The results of an experimental investigation of an optically pumped vi brational laser in HCl are reported. Two different excitation sources were used:a Nd:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser pumped optical parametric oscillator and a Raman shifted alexandrite laser. Overtone pumping on the (2,0) and (3,0) bands was employed to produce laser oscillation o n the (3,2) and (2,1) bands near 3.8 mu m. We also developed a model f or the optically pumped laser and compare predictions of the model to the observed behavior of the laser. The photon efficiency of the HCl l aser was found to be approximately 60%, consistent with model predicti ons and with previous optically pumped hydrogen halide lasers. (C) 199 8 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)09019-7].