cw generation of tunable narrow-band far-infrared radiation

Abstract
Tunable narrow‐band cw generation of far‐infrared radiation has been achieved for the first time in the 70‐μm to 1‐mm wavelength region by noncollinear difference‐frequency mixing of two single‐mode CO2 lasers in GaAs at 80 K. Using a Schottky diode as a heterodyne harmonic mixer with a carcinotron local oscillator, the far‐infrared signal is shown to have a linewidth of less than 100 kHz and a fine tuning capability in excess of 50 MHz.