Optika Atmosfery i Okeana Journal

Vol. 21, issue 08, article # 4

Zimakov V. P., Kedrov A. Yu., Kuznetsov V. A., Solov'yov N. G., Shemyakin A. N., Yakimov M. Yu. Excitation of fast-flow gas lasers by combined discharge methods. // Atmospheric and oceanic optics. 2008. V. 21. No. 08. P. 575-578. PDF
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Abstract:

In the combined discharge of DCD-CPD type, the pumping of laser levels is realized, using the direct current discharge (DCD) in the decaying plasma, created by the capacitive-coupled pulse-periodic discharge (CPD). Stability and homogeneity are characteristic of the DCD-CPD plasma. Therewith, the power consumption for the discharge stabilization constitutes only several percents of the CPD power, while this magnitude is equal to tens of percents, when using gas-dynamical methods. Authors have experimentally tested the possibility of efficient application of the DCD-CPD method to the development of high-power gas lasers. Experimental fast-axial-flow СО₂ lasers of 1.5 and 3 kW CW with pulse-periodic output power were built and investigated. Properties of the discharge and active medium were studied with two (1.5 kW) and four (3 kW) discharge tubes. Lasers demonstrate linear output power of 2 kW/m with 20% discharge efficiency. Power scaling up to 6 kW is possible. Possibilities of the DCD-CPD scheme in the laser mode selection are discussed.

Keywords:

gas laser, fast axis pumping, combined discharge