Effect of a static electric field on the output of a stimulated-Raman hydrogen laser

A study has been made of how a static external electric field affects the output of a stimulated-Raman-scattering laser using compressed hydrogen. The external field substantially influences the energy distribution among the higher-index components of the stimulated emission. At a qualitative level, this effect can be explained on the basis that a dipole moment is induced in the hydrogen molecule and that a transition from the first vibrational level to the ground state becomes allowed.