CO and CO2laser action by organic molecule oxidation

CO and CO
2
laser action are achieved by organic molecule electrochemical oxidation in a directly excited, subsonically flowing, CW gas laser. The laser spectrum shifts from 5μ (due to CO) to 10.6 μ (due to CO
2
) as the cooling temperature is increased from 77 K to -40°C. Both CO and CO
2
are reaction products formed by the electrochemical oxidation of CH
4
, C
3
H
3
, C
2
H
2
, or HCHO.