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

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.

main text: 4 pages, 4 figures, supplement: 7 pages, 5 figures. APL Photonics (2021)