COMPETITION, HYSTERESIS AND REACTIVE Q-SWITCHING IN CO2 LASERS AT 10.6 MICRONS
- 15 August 1966
- journal article
- research article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters
- Vol. 9 (4), 174-176
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1754697
Abstract
High repetition rate (30–60 kc/sec) Q‐switching in a CO2 laser at 10.6μ is reported. A moving mirror technique using steady mirror velocities between 16 and 30 cm/sec produces one pulse of the strongest line (P(20)) per half wavelength of travel. The usable pulsing rate is determined by, and is a measure of, the lower laser level lifetime (∼30 μsec). In a 1‐W CW laser, peak powers ≈ 30 W with pulse lengths ≈ 1 μsec and average power ≈ CW power were obtained. This and related competition and hysteresis effects result from strong coupling between the lines of the vibrational‐rotational spectrum due to thermalizing molecular collisions.Keywords
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