Tunable single-mode operation of a CO2TE laser by means of selective absorbers

Tunable single-longitudinal-mode output of a pulsed TE CO
2
laser was obtained using several different intracavity selective absorbers. It was shown that tunable single-frequency operation could be obtained up to 300 MHz off line center. Tuning was achieved by changing the length of the laser cavity, by adjustment of the laser pressure, and by varying the absorber and absorber pressure. The method is simple and inexpensive and appears to be generally applicable to CO
2
laser transitions.