Spectroscopic investigation of an optically pumped carbon tetrafluoride laser

Frequency tuning of the CF₄ laser in the range 612-645 cm^–1 and stabilization of its operation by pumping with pulsed CO₂ laser radiation in the 9 μ range is reported. The CF₄ laser frequency is tuned by tuning the pump frequency over the stimulated emission lines of the CO₂ laser. The number of emitted frequencies is increased considerably by using isotopically substituted C¹⁸O₂ and ¹³CF₄ molecules. The CF₄ laser stimulated emission is stabilized and finely tuned by stabilizing and finely tuning the CO₂ laser frequency within the CO₂ gain line width. At a pump energy of 2 J, a stimulated emission energy of 40 mJ was obtained in a pulse of 100 nsec duration. The Coriolis constant of the upper laser level was determined and the observed CF₄ laser stimulated emission lines were identified.