Lineselective CO/sub 2/ lasers with anisotropic etched silicon gratings

In this paper, compact lineselective CO/sub 2/ laser system is developed. To minimise resonator losses the anisotropic etched silicon grating fabricated is mounted in Littrow configuration. If the groove width of grating is varied at constant grating periodicity, a variable reflectivity grating (VRG) for one constant Littrow angle is achieved. With such VRGs it is possible to realise intra-cavity mode selection and therewith shape the outcoupled laser beam.