Optically pumped NH/sub 3/ as a high-gain amplifier for CO/sub 2/ laser radiation

Optically pumped high-pressure mixtures of NH/sub 3/ in N/sub 2/ are shown to be efficient broadband amplifiers of pulsed CO/sub 2/ radiation. In a dilute NH/sub 3/ mixture at 6 atm a single-pass gain of 150 (21.8 dB) was measured for the 10P(34) CO/sub 2/ transition. Gain was observed in NH/sub 3/ at pressures as high as 10 atm. Experimental measurements were made for a range of wavelengths in the 10.7 mu m region, and the results compared with calculations based on a rate-equation model.<>