Stimulated Raman scattering of picosecond light pulses in hydrogen, deuterium, and methane

Experimental results are presented on stimulated Raman scattering of short pulses of approximately 100 ps duration in H2, D2, and CH4, both in capillary waveguides and in a tight focusing geometry. Experimentally determined thresholds are in good agreement with calculation. Low thresholds (less than 20 microjoules) are observed in CH4 and preliminary results using a mode-locked dye laser as pump indicate a useful source of tunable short pulse radiation in the near infrared.