Abstract

In recent years the tunable diode laser (TDL) has emerged as a powerful tool for probing the gain dynamics of infrared gas lasers.¹ For studies of laser dynamics, TDL’s are superior to more conventional oscillator-amplifier configurations because the wide tunability of the TDL allows both lasing and absorbing transitions to be probed. In addition, the high resolution and high sensi- tivity of the TDL technique allow measurement of spectral features that would be un- detectable by more conventional methods. We have recently reported on the first operation of a 12-μm cw NH3 laser, which was optically pumped at line center.² To characterize this device we have made detailed small-signal-gain measurements of optically pumped NH₃ and compared them with calculated values derived from a rate-equation model. In general, there is good agreement between the experiment and theoretical calculations.

© 1984 Optical Society of America