Electrical and laser diagnostics of an 80-kW supersonic cw CO electric laser

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Abstract
Detailed spatial and time‐dependent measurements of the electrical parameters and the gas properties have been made on a high‐average‐power quasisteady supersonic cw carbon monoxide electron‐beam‐stabilized electric‐discharge laser. The electrical and optical measurements show that there are major changes in the current‐density distribution and in the supersonic flow field due to the high electric‐discharge power input to the gas. A multipin resistor‐ballasted electrode has been used to make the current density much more uniform, resulting in a factor‐of‐2 increase in electrical energy input and in laser power output. Small‐signal gain measurements were made on the J=7 to J=13 rotational lines of the V=7 to V=6 CO vibrational transition at various locations in the electrical discharge. The measured rotational temperature showed that only 12% of the discharge power went into gas heating in the supersonic free‐stream region. The measured small‐signal gain was as high as 0.08 cm−1, the maximum electrical energy density input was 430 J/l amagat, and the maximum laser power density extracted was 120 kW/l.

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