The conditions for population inversion between the

and

levels (

Å) of N
2such as the excitation time and the optimum value of

are calculated. To meet the required conditions for a very fast population inversion, we describe a traveling wave laser structure which is very simple. We study the experimental curves of the laser power as a function of the following parameters: channel length, pressure, distance between electrodes, velocity matching between excitation traveling wave pulse and light, and spark gap breakdown voltage. Best results obtained to date are a peak power of 9 MW with a total efficiency of about 1 percent and a ratio

V/cm. torr.