Submillimeter wave and far infrared molecular lasers and polyatomic buffer gases therefor

摘要

The optically pumped submillimeter wave lasers employing molecular gases having dipole moments are improved by employing as a polyatomic buffer gas a molecular gas or vapor of a hydrocarbon having a significantly large vibrational heat capacity in relation to its molecular weight. An example is C.sub.6 H.sub.14 added to such lasers as the methyl fluoride laser at 496 micrometers. Other examples of saturated hydrocarbon buffers are also given; and in each case the vapor molecule is complex enough to absorb many vibrational quanta from the active molecules, yet is small enough to move rapidly to the tube walls.