Investigation of SRS conversion of XeCl laser emission in lead vapor, methane, and hydrogen

We have thus optimized the conditions for SRS conversion of XeCl-laser emission in lead vapor, methane, and hydrogen. The greatest influence on the conversion efficiency is exerted for an SRS cell with lead by the divergence of the pump radiation, the focusing geometry, and the type of buffer gas. The maximum efficiency with respect to absorbed UV energy was ∼57% when xenon gas was used as the buffer, corresponding to 85% of the photon efficiency. The converted radiation could be continuously tuned in the 457.6-459.3 nm band. Addition of a light gas such as helium or hydrogen to methane raised the efficiency of conversion into Stokes components in methane to ∼24 %. The obtained photon efficiencies of conversion of XeCl laser radiation in hydrogen into all Stokes components, using priming radiation at the wavelength of the first Stokes component, were ∼98% into all Stokes components, 45% into the second, and ∼20% into the third.