Discharge spatial nonuniformity in e-beam-sustainer CO2 lasers

Abstract
The discharge in an electron‐beam‐sustainer atmospheric pressure CO2 laser is investigated. An arbitrary two‐dimensional geometry is employed in calculating the electric field. The conductivity is a function of the local electric field, the loss rate, and the ionization rate, the third of which is proportional to the energy deposition by high‐energy electrons. The predicted discharge nonuniformities are compared with experimental results. Experimental evidence indicates that the discharge is recombination dominated.