A quantum cascade laser-pumped molecular laser tunable over 1 THz

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a new tunable molecular laser using methyl fluoride as a gain medium, achieving over 1 THz of spectral tuning with continuous-wave operation across multiple transitions, confirming the universality of the QPML concept.

Contribution

Introduction of methyl fluoride as a gain medium enabling extensive spectral tuning in quantum cascade laser-pumped molecular lasers.

Findings

Achieved continuous-wave lasing over 0.25 to 1.3 THz.

Demonstrated lasing on more than 120 discrete transitions.

Confirmed the universality of the QPML concept for polar gas molecules.

Abstract

By introducing methyl fluoride (CH$_3$F) as a new gain medium for a quantum cascade laser-pumped molecular laser (QPML), we demonstrate continuous-wave lasing from more than 120 discrete transitions spanning the frequency range 0.25 to 1.3 THz. The unprecedented degree of spectral tuning achieved with CH$_3$F also confirms the universality of the QPML concept: for all polar gas molecules, lasing can be induced on any dipole-allowed rotational transition by sufficient pumping of a related roto-vibrational transition using a continuously tunable quantum cascade laser.