Waveguide HCN laser with controlled coupling

A device is described which enables the coupling of an HCN laser to an external medium to be varied in a wide range. The laser resonator was formed by a one-dimensional wire grating, a glass waveguide, and a half-wave phase element made in the form of a dihedral mirror with an angle of 90° between its faces. The dependences of the laser output power on the angle between the edge of the dihedral mirror and the grating wires were determined. A power of 25 mW was obtained, at a wavelength of 337 μm, when a 1-m long active zone was pumped at a frequency of 13.56 MHz.