High power optically pumped far infrared laser systems

Single mode, 60-80 ns pulse width, 50-70 kW peak power laser oscillators operating on the 384.6 μm line of D
2
O have been developed. The characteristic linewidths of these oscillators are less than 25 MHz full width at half maximum which favorably compares with the intrinsic width of 6-8 MHz associated with the pulse length of about 60 ns. A 12.7 mJ, 195 kW, 384.6μm D
2
O laser oscillator-amplifier combination has been constructed and tested. Although single longitudinal mode operation is attained from this oscillator-amplifier system, amplified spontaneous emission (superradiance) from the amplifier adds low power level wide-bandwidth background radiation. Studies of far infrared lasing action in CH
3
F and CH
3
I are also described.