IMPROVED MOLECULAR-CONSTANTS AND FREQUENCIES FOR THE CO2-LASER FROM NEW HIGH-J REGULAR AND HOT-BAND FREQUENCY MEASUREMENTS

We dedicate this paper to the memory of F. R. Petersen, a pioneer in the field of laser frequency measurements. His meticulous attention to detail in the design and operation of the CO2 laser and subsequent precise measurement of its transition frequencies led to his outstanding examples of stabilized laser frequency tables (1-3), which were the essential foundation for the present work. New frequencies are given for the (CO2)-C-12-O-16, (CO2)-C-13-O-16, (CO2)-C-12-O-18, and (CO2)-C-13-O-18 regular band laser transitions and for the hot-band transitions of (CO2)-C-12-O-16. These frequencies are based on a new least-squares analysis of all the frequency measurements of these four molecular species including new high-J measurements reported here and recent absolute frequency measurements. Fourteen new high-J transitions of the regular (CO2)-C-12-O-16 laser bands have been observed, the lasers have been stabilized with sub-Doppler saturated 4.3-mum fluorescence, and their frequencies have been measured. Nine of these transitions fill the gap between the 9.4- and 10.4-mum bands. Saturated 4.3-mum fluorescence also has been used to stabilize the 01 (1)1[11 (1)0,03(1)0]I and 01 (1)1-[11 (1)0,03 (1)0]II hot-band laser lines. New frequency measurements are reported for 84 hot-band lines, which were also included in the reanalysis of the CO2 laser transitions. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.