Versatile cavity for optically pumped molecular lasers

We describe here an optically pumped molecular laser cavity configuration w hich allows near total transmission of pump radiation into the cavity maint aining, at the same time, a high Q value at the lasing wavelength. This als o has built into it the capability of elimination of unabsorbed pump radiat ion, isolation of pump cavity, and suppression of self-focusing effect. The efficient performance of this versatile cavity has been demonstrated in th e pulsed operation of a NH3 laser pumped by a transversely excited atmosphe ric CO2 laser. The low lasing threshold observed here suggests that this ca vity can also be employed for the continuous operation of such lasers. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.