Abstract
Over the last several years, tunable far infrared (FIR) lasers have come of age as a generally applicable new tool for atomic and molecular spectroscopy in this technologically difficult frequency range (10–350 cm−1). Two different technological approaches have evolved for generating continuously tunable FIR lasers. Schottky diode mixers are used for frequency mixing of a microwave source and an optically pumped molecular gas laser; alternatively, third order frequency mixing of two stabilized CO2 lasers and a microwave source is carried out in metal insulator metal (MIM) diodes. These two different technical approaches have proven to be quite complementary. The MIM design is superior for attaining high frequency accuracy, and, in principle, for reaching the higher frequency range of the FIR. However, power levels produced by this method are two orders of magnitude lower than those attainable with Schottky diode mixers. Since the paper in this volume by Inguscio describing the state‐of‐the‐art achieved with the MIM approach, I will restrict the present discussion to results obtained with Schottky mixers.
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