Experimental and theoretical investigation of the nitrogen laser

We have studied several types of flat-plate-transmission-line pulse-excited nitrogen lasers. Experiments were carried over a wide variety of parameters such as laser-tube pressure, charging voltage, laser-tube inductance, transmission-line impedance, and others. A theory of the nitrogen laser is presented which treats the laser as an integrated electrooptical system. The theory is based upon the known macroscopic properties of nitrogen discharges along with the known electron impact ionization and excitation cross sections for the N2molecule. The theoretical predictions are in very good agreement with the experimental observations. It is suggested that this type of theoretical approach should be applicable to fast high-power discharges in many other gases.