Efficient parametric conversion in cesium vapor irradiated by 3470-Å mode-locked pulses

Passage of a
\sim10^{9}
W/cm
²
3470-Å mode-locked laser beam through a few torr of Cs vapor results in efficient parametric conversion of pump light into beams of ultrashort pulses at wavelengths located near the ∼ 3600-Å
6s-9p
and ∼ 3900-Å
6s-8p
Cs resonance lines. In addition, ultrashort pulses at roughly ten different infrared wavelengths lying between ∼ 6 and 20μ are produced. The four- and six-wave parametric processes responsible for the conversion are initiated by stimulated electronic Raman emission.