Lineshapes in coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectra of gases

We introduce new lineshapes of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectra of gases by considering realistic nanosecond laser pulses that deviate from the Gaussian representations of their time and spectral envelopes. The analysis suggests that the contribution to the linewidth caused by the interaction with such laser pulses could be erroneously attributed to the intrinsic Raman width if the customary CARS approach, based primarily on the Voigt lineshape, is assumed.