High-efficiency driven Q switching of the CO2laser using the stark effect in molecular gases

High-efficiency driven
Q
switching of the CO
2
laser has been observed by the use of the Stark effect in CH
3
Cl, CH
3
F, CH
3
CHF
2
, CH
2
= CF
2
, and C
2
H
3
Cl on various lines in both the 9.4- and 10.4-μ bands. The effect is observed with both pulsed and sinusoidal electric fields applied to the intracavity modulator.