Pulsed FIR emission from isotopic methyl fluoride

High intensity optical pumping of isotopic methyl fluoride (C
¹³
H
3
F) has yielded two new emission lines at 388 and 412 μm with powers of ∼10 kW and ∼1 kW, respectively. Experimental observations lead to the interpretation that these lines are pumped via a new mechanism in which collisionally coupled two-photon absorptions are responsible for the population inversion.