Optically pumped tunable HBr laser in the mid-infrared region.

An optically pumped tunable HBr laser has been demonstrated for the first time. The pump source was a single-frequency Ho:YLF laser and amplifier system, which was locked to the 2064 nm absorption line of HBr. Laser oscillation was demonstrated on 19 molecular transition lines, which included both the R-branch (3870-4015 nm) and the P-branch (4070-4453 nm), by the use of an intra-cavity diffraction grating. The highest output energy was 2.4 mJ at 4133 nm.