Intracavity phase conjugation of the radiation from a pulsed frequency-selective CO laser

The temporal dynamics and efficiency of phase-conjugate reflection in the c ourse of intracavity degenerate four-wave mixing of radiation from a pulsed frequency-selective electron-beam-sustained CO laser was investigated expe rimentally and theoretically. The energy efficiency of the phase-conjugate reflection in the experiments reached 1.5-2.5% for a CO laser emitting as a result of one vibro-rotational transition, diminishing on expansion of the emission spectrum of the laser. Comparison of the experimental and calcula ted data indicates the dominant role of the resonance amplitude phase-conju gation mechanism in the active medium of a CO laser.