From Optically Pumped Molecular Lasers to Multi-Frequency Beam Splitters

AbstactIn this paper, the two laser schemes of multi-frequency optically pumped molecular lasers are described. Moleculargas lasers based on optical pumping potentially produce separate laser beams with various different frequencies. Such lasers canserve as frequency splitter devices that will find a wide range of applications for example, in chemical sensors andcommunications.

C2H2 gas laser inside hollow-core photonic crystal fiber based on population inversion

Lasing from population inversion is demonstrated from gas contained in a hollow-core kagome structured photonic crystal fiber. Laser pulses in the mid-IR (3.1-3.2 μm) were generated by optically pumping at λ ~ 1.5 μm

Mid-infrared gas filled photonic crystal fiber laser based on population inversion

International audienceWe demonstrate for the first time an optically pumped gas laser based on population inversion using a hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF). The HC-PCF filled with 12C2H2 gas is pumped with ~5 ns pulses at 1.52 μm and lases at 3.12 μm and 3.16 μm in the mid-infrared spectral region. The maximum measured laser pulse energy of ~6 nJ was obtained at a gas pressure of 7 torr with a fiber with 20 dB/m loss near the lasing wavelengths. While the measured slope efficiencies of this prototype did not exceed a few percent due mainly to linear losses of the fiber at the laser wavelengths, 25% slope efficiency and pulse energies of a few mJ are the predicted limits of this laser. Simulations of the laser’s behavior agree qualitatively with experimental observations