Vol. 17, issue 02-03, article # 7

Abstract:

We analyze the physical causes that impose limitations on the pulse repetition frequency and power of copper vapor lasers (CVL). The CVL efficiency is shown to increase as the density of electrons existing in the active medium before the pump pulse decreases. The critical pre-pulse electron density therewith is equal to ~ 10¹⁴ cm^-3, at which the CVL efficiency is practically zero. At the same time there exists some critical pre-pulse density of copper atoms at lower laser levels (~ (3-5) 10¹³ cm^-3), at which no lasing occurs. To realize the CVL power potentiality, we propose to pump the active medium in a repetitively pulsed mode by double pulses. The first pulse forms the field in the cavity, and the second one amplifies it. More than tenfold higher pump efficiency as compared with that in the standard pump mode is validated.