Stark effect applicable to optically pumped far-infrared laser

The effect of low electric field Stark tuning on the absorption of CH
3
OH gas at the
P(12) 9.4-\mu
CO
2
laser line has been studied. At the 220-mtorr CH
3
OH pressure optimal for CH
3
OH far-infrared (FIR) laser operation, the line center absorption coefficient increases by a factor of 5 with a Stark field of 2.3 kV/cm.