Pulsed atmospheric-pressure carbon-dioxide laser initiated by a cold-cathode glow-discharge electron gun

Abstract

A 150 kV pulsed cold-cathode glow-discharge electron gun is used to initiate an atmospheric-pressure carbon-dioxide laser. The gun is mechanically simple, efficient and undamaged by vacuum failure. Laser-output pulses of 1.6 J and 5 μs duration have been obtained from an active volume of approximately 70 cm³.