Hydrogen Raman laser based on rotational transitions with longitudinal nonaxial pumping by $Nd$ laser radiation

A Raman laser utilizing rotational transitions in gaseous hydrogen and longitudinal nonaxial pumping with neodymium laser radiation was constructed and investigated. Short (5–7.5 sec) pulses were emitted at the frequency of the first Stokes component 8850 cm${}^{-1}$ when the pump pulse duration was 40 nsec. The power conversion efficiency was $40\%$.