Effects of buffer gases on an optically pumped CH_3F FIR laser

Abstract

The effects of nine different buffer gases on the performance of a 496 μm optically pumped CH₃F laser are studied experimentally. The best result for cw operation is obtained with a 1:1 mixture of CH₃F:C₆H₁₄, which increases the optimum CH₃F pressure by nearly 100% and the output power by 55% over those of the pure CH₃F case. Similar results are obtained in pulsed operation with 350 μs pump pulses. With the help of theoretical expressions, we attribute the effectiveness of C₆H₁₄ to its large vibrational heat content relative to its molecular weight.