Feasibility of using optical and electron pumping to modulate CO2 laser radiation in CdS and GaAs crystals

An experimental investigation was made of the modulation of CO₂ laser radiation as a result of interaction with nonequilibrium carriers in CdS crystals pumped optically by an argon laser (λ = 457.9 nm). A theoretical analysis was also made using electron pumping in GaAs. As the pumping rate was increased, the relative change in the transmission coefficient reached 50% in the experiments. Estimates show that the use of electron beam pumping is even more promising for various applications.