Pulsed first-overtone CO laser:: effective source of IR radiation in spectral range of 2.5-4.0 μm

Spectral properties of radiation of a pulsed electron-beam controlled discharge laser operating on the first-overtone transitions (Delta v = 2) of CO molecules have been studied both experimentally and theoretically. Various sets of dielectric mirrors with high reflectivity in the wide range of overtone spectrum have been used for the laser resonator. Multiwave length lasing has been obtained in the wide spectral range of 2.5-4.0 mu m Efficiency of the laser operating on few vibrational transitions within a relatively narrow spectral range comes up to 5% at entirely suppressed fundamental band (Delta v = 1) lasing. Spectral characteristics of the overtone laser operating on a selected set of vibrational transitions have been analyzed theoretically. A comparison of the experimental and theoretical data has been made. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.