Characteristics of the pumping pulse and the output laser pulse for a Cu/CuCl double pulse laser

Characteristics of the pumping discharge pulse and laser pulse in a Cu/CuCl double pulse laser have been measured as a function of time delay, buffer gas pressure, and tube temperature. We have found that for otherwise fixed discharge conditions, pumping rates decrease as these quantities are increased. The shape of the laser pulse as a function of time delay is shown to be dependent on the rate of current rise of the pumping pulse. The length of time required by the pumping pulse to achieve threshold is found to be a function of time delay, buffer gas pressure, and tube temperature. The implications of this behavior for the role of metastable copper and its mode of relaxation are discussed.