In an e-beam controlled carbon-dioxide laser unit the spatial, temporal and spectral properties of the small-signal gain were investigated in a single pass geometry. A smooth spatial distribution was found with peak values of 2.9%/cm near the cathode at 112.5 J/(1 bar). No reduction in the gain value was monitored up to repetition rates of 60 Hz when circulating the laser gas with a gas flow velocity of 100 m/s. A HeNe laser probe beam, being collinear to the carbon-dioxide laser beam, was used to monitor shock waves or mechanical vibrations by measuring its deflection. This investigation showed, that the small-signal gain measurements were not interfered by any disturbances.

Date Published: 4 April 1997
PDF: 4 pages
Proc. SPIE 3092, XI International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers and High-Power Laser Conference, (4 April 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.270219

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3092:
XI International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers and High-Power Laser Conference
Denis R. Hall; Howard J. Baker, Editor(s)