Photographic recording of the emission spectrum of a single-pulse CO2 laser by parametric conversion in a proustite crystal

The emission spectrum of a single-pulse transverse-discharge CO₂ laser was recorded using just one pulse. This was done by parametric conversion of the infrared output radiation of this laser to the sensitivity range of photographic materials. The conversion took place in a proustite crystal pumped by a ruby laser. The width of the conversion band was ~1 μ in the wavelength range 10.6 μ and the energy conversion efficiency was 3×10^–3. The minimum energy which could be detected in a single CO₂ laser line was 0.25 mJ for a spectral resolution of 0.3 cm^–1.