High-efficiency joule-level Raman generation in Pb vapor

Abstract

We have obtained nearly 1 J of blue-green radiation in 60-nsec pulses by Raman shifting an injection-locked XeCl laser in Pb vapor. The measured 50% Raman energy conversion has been observed in both oscillator and oscillator-amplifier experiments. These results indicate that an XeCl/Pb blue-green laser efficiency of >1.4% should be possible.