Apparatus and method for generating continuous wave 16 mu m laser radiation using gaseous CF4

Apparatus and method for generating continuous wave 16 mu m laser radiation using gaseous CF4. Laser radiation at 16 mu m has been observed in a cooled static cell containing low pressure CF4 optically pumped by an approximately 3 W output power cw CO2 laser. The laser cavity employed was a multiple-pass off-axis-path two spherical mirror ring resonator. Unidirectional CF4 laser output power at 615 cm-1 exceeded 2 mW. Computer calculations indicate that for modest pump powers of about 40 W, approximately 1 W of emitted laser radiation at 16 mu m might be obtained.