LIGHT MODULATION BY MEANS OF THE STARK EFFECT IN MOLECULAR GASES—APPLICATION TO CO2 LASERS

Abstract
The molecular Stark effect in gases may be used to modify the output of lasers in a systematic fashion, and may therefore be used as the basic constituent in a modulator element to control a laser beam. Experimental data for various CO2 laser lines and a number of electro‐optic gases external to the laser cavity show amplitude modulation up to 20% for about 25% absorption and electric fields of the order of 1 kV/cm.