Properties of high-energy electrically pulsed CO2lasers

The output properties of an electrically pulsed CO2laser have been investigated as a function of partial gas pressure and discharge voltage. The output pulse became sharper with increasing CO2pressure. The output pulse energy increased with increasing helium pressure up to a pressure where the output became independent of further increases. Output pulses of 24 joules at 3.6 MW and 3.6 percent efficiency were obtained at 1/10 atmosphere in a 3.5-meter-long 5-cm-bore laser tube.