Feasibility study of optically pumped molecular lasers with small quantum defect

An analytical analysis of continuous wave (CW) optically pumped molecular lasers with small quantum defect is presented. The results show the conditions under which lasing with small Stokes shifts are possible. The general results are applied to HCN as an example gas. The predictions from the analytical approach are in good quantitative agreement with numerical calculations. The effective vibrational lifetimes and rotational relaxation rates of the molecule determine the principal behavior of such lasers. High overall laser efficiencies are possible for long interaction length of pump laser and gas media, which for example can be achieved in waveguide structures. This makes such lasers potentially interesting for coherently combining the output of mutually incoherent fiber and or diode lasers.