A proposal for a tunable coherent source at 16μm

A scheme for obtaining tunable coherent radiation at 16 mu m is proposed. This is based on difference frequency mixing in CdGeAs₂ of the outputs of a grating tuned CO₂ laser and the second harmonic of an NH₃ laser. With this scheme even with presently available crystals and lasers, powers of the order of 100 kW should be available at 16 mu m with electrical to 16 mu m energy conversion efficiencies of the order 0.01-0.1% in linewidths less than 0.03 cm^-1.