Optically-pumped sulfur monoxide molecular laser

A method comprising:

• generating a pump light of a first wavelength;
• directing the pump light to a gain medium that includes gaseous sulfur monoxide (SO) and a buffer gas, wherein the first wavelength substantially matches a wavelength of any of a Q-branch and a R-branch absorption transition of a b 1Σ+ electronic state of a molecule of the gaseous SO;
• and
• extracting a first output laser light from the gain medium at a second wavelength that substantially matches a wavelength of any of a P-branch, Q-branch, and R-branch transition between the b 1Σ+ electronic state and a x 3Σ− ground electronic state of the SO molecule.

An apparatus comprising:

• a laser gain medium comprising gaseous sulfur monoxide (SO) and at least one buffer gas;
• a vessel containing the gain medium;
• a near infrared pump light source that generates a pump light of a first wavelength directed to the gain medium contained in the vessel, wherein the first wavelength substantially matches a wavelength of any of a Q-branch and a R-branch absorption transition of a b 1Σ+ electronic state of a molecule of the gaseous SO;
• a master oscillator that generates radiation at a second wavelength that substantially matches an emission transition of the molecule of the gaseous SO;
• and
• at least one optical component that directs the radiation from the master oscillator through the vessel, wherein the radiation extracts power from the laser gain medium to generate an output radiation.