HIGH-POWER CO2 ELECTRIC DISCHARGE MIXING LASER

Abstract

An electric discharge mixing laser is described in which N₂ is vibrationally excited in an electrical discharge and then mixed with cold CO₂ providing a population inversion and, consequently, lasing action at 10.6μ in a high‐pressure high‐flow speed channel. Convection is the principle heat removal mechanism, permitting system operation at power densities substantially higher than in conventional wall‐dominated electric discharge lasers. Results of experiments with a 30‐cm‐wide by 1.2‐cm‐high EDML channel are described. With this system, small‐signal gain coefficients of 4.3% cm⁻¹ and optical powers of up to 900 W at 11% efficiency have been obtained at a pressure of 48 Torr.