Four-wave interaction of low-power CO2 laser radiation in SF6

A four-wave interaction of CO₂ laser radiation was studied. The pump wave power was 3–5 W and the signal wave power was 0.5–0.8 W. The nonlinear medium was gaseous SF₆. The pressure dependence of the reflection coefficient was determined (a maximum was of the order of 0.1 %). The influence of heating of SF₆ by CO₂ laser radiation was considered.