An optically pumped mid-infrared HBr laser

The results of experiments on a pulsed optically pumped vibrational transition HBr laser are discussed. In these experiments, rotation-vibration transitions in the first overtone band near 2 /spl mu/m are pumped with an optical parametric oscillator. Lasing is generated in (2,1) band transitions near 4 /spl mu/m. The laser performance is governed by gas phase kinetic processes, which redistribute the absorbed pump energy during the evolution of the laser pulse. A maximum 4-/spl mu/m output energy of 0.85 mJ was obtained with 3.47 mJ of absorbed pump energy.>