Laser spectroscopy

In recent years considerable progress has been made in the use of semiconductor lasers as one of the principal methods of investigating polyatomic molecular structure. Lasers have been made from many materials, and the wavelength of coherent radiation has been extended to cover molecular transitions in the spectral range from the ultraviolet to the far infrared. Diode spectroscopy has found its widest application in laser isotope separation as a diagnostic tool. The laser line for isotope separation is very narrow. Therefore, the selectivity of laser isotope separation for many polyatomic molecules requires very accurate measurements of resonant line positions which are not readily obtainable by conventional methods. This paper discusses work conducted in molecular spectroscopy using current and magnetically tuned PbSnSe (or PbSnTe) diode lasers.