Experimental and theoretical electron-beam-sustained CO2 laser output at ∼200 and ∼300 °K

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Abstract
A six‐temperature kinetic model of the He : He2Co2 : N2 : CO laser system is developed, in which five temperatures describe the vibrational excitation of the three CO2 modes, N2, and CO, while the sixth refers to the kinetic temperature. Theoretical predictions of gain and laser output are compared with experiments performed on an electron‐beam sustainer laser used at atmospheric pressure. Gain and laser measurements have been made with initial gas temperature near 200 and 300 °K. A stable discharge can be produced in this type of laser in gas mixtures containing no He, and successful electric laser operation has been demonstrated using H2 as CO2ν2 deactivant. Various gas mixtures have been investigated experimentally and theoretically; specific output J≳100 J/liter atm was obtained both in He : N2 : CO2 : H2 3 : 2 : 1 : 0 and 0 : 3 : 1 : 0.08, with efficiencies near 30%. While the gain measured appears to peak later and decay later than predicted, in all laser output measurements there is good agreement between theoretical prediction and experiment.