title: Efficient stimulated Raman scattering externally seeded by molecular spontaneous emission.
abstract: We demonstrate an order-of-magnitude increase in the efficiency for first-Stokes Raman generation in a gas cell (CH(4)) by seeding with spontaneous emission from a dye cell. Second-Stokes and first-anti-Stokes lines were also generated more efficiently. The pump energy required for production of a 1% conversion efficiency for the first-Stokes emission is reduced by a factor of 1.8 below that required without seeding.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Lawandy