Stability limits of high-power ion-laser discharges

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Abstract
Highly ionized plasmas (degree of ionization 0.1,...,0.5) with electron temperatures kTe≳4 eV are required for high‐power generation from ion lasers. In stationary low‐pressure arcs, however, these requirements are limited by discharge instabilities. The stability limits are investigated in the case of Ar and Hg low‐pressure discharges. It is shown that the main limitation processes are due to neutral gas depletion by ionization and axial plasma inhomogeneities. The stability ranges of ion‐laser discharges are represented using the geometry‐independent parameters jR and pR ( j: discharge current density; p: filling pressure; R: discharge radius). These instabilities, together with saturation effects in the laser mechanism, limit the output power of ion lasers by restricting the operational range of the discharges.

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