Terahertz NH 3 Laser with Optical Pumping by “Long” (~100 μs) Pulses of CO 2 Laser for Plasma Diagnostics

A terahertz NH 3 laser optically pumped by “long” (~100 μs) pulses of an electron-beam-sustained-discharge CO 2 laser is demonstrated for the first time. The NH 3 laser pulses and the “long” pulses of the CO 2 laser are simultaneously measured with nanosecond resolution. The duration and the delay of the NH 3 laser pulse relative to the pump pulse are measured depending on the pulse energy of the pump CO 2 laser. The following emission wavelengths of the terahertz NH 3 laser were observed upon pumping by the 9R(30) line of the CO 2 laser: 67.2, 83.8, and 88.9 μm.