A TUNABLE STIMULATED RAMAN OSCILLATOR

Abstract

We report the first observation of tunable stimulated Raman emission. A Q-switched ruby laser was used to excite the A1 symmetry 248-cm−1 polariton mode in a LiNbO3 crystal. The crystal, at room temperature, was placed in a resonator external to the laser cavity which was tuned to the Stokes frequency. It was possible to vary the Stokes frequency by altering the angle between the pump beam and the axis of the resonator. Stimulated Raman scattering from other polariton modes (152 cm−1, 628 cm−1) which are potentially tunable was observed. We also report the first observation of stimulated anti-Stokes emission from a polariton mode.