Knowledge Bank

We present the first transient free radical spectra recorded with a recently $developed1$ difference frequency generation spectrometer based on $AgGaS2$. By combining the outputs from two continuous wave, single frequency visible lasers (dye, Ti:Sapphire, and/or diode), continuously tunable infrared light has been produced at power levels of tens of microwatts between 1000 and $210cm-1$. An absolute frequency precision of $6\times 10-3cm-1$ and a laser linewidth of -1.0 MHz has been achieved. This infrared source is expected to be a valuable new spectroscopic tool with sub-Doppler resolution continuously spanning a large portion of the molecular fingerprint region.