Stimulated Raman scattering of XeF(asterisk) laser radiation in H2. II

Stimulated Raman scattering experiments in hydrogen have been performed with a collimated beam from an e-beam-pumped XeF laser operating at 353 nm. An unstable resonator provided good beam quality at energies of about 1.2 J and pulse lengths of about 320 ns. A folded-path Raman cell allowed cell lengths to be continuously varied up to 11 m at a hydrogen pressure of 10 atm. Energy conversion efficiencies of greater than 45 percent to first Stokes at 414 nm and greater than 40 percent to second Stokes at 500 nm were observed with no indication of significant four-wave processes.