Optical Kerr switching technique for the production of a picosecond, multiwavelength CO2 laser pulse

A wavelength-independent method for optical gating, based on the optical Kerr effect, has been demonstrated. Using this method, we produced 100-ps, 10-kW, two-wavelength pulses (10.3 and 10.6 mum) with a signal-to-background ratio contrast of 10(5) by slicing a long CO2 Pulse. The capability of gating consecutive pulses separated on a picosecond time scale with this method is also shown. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.