A CO₂ electric discharge simulation program has evolved over the past twenty years, and has success-fully been used in the analysis, design, and post-test rationalization of a variety of systems, both industrial and military, CW and pulsed, operating over a wide range of conditions. Laser kinetics are accurately modelled by using the best-available measured rates and by simultaneously solving four integro-differential state equations, the overall energy equation, and the laser photon conservation equations(s). Discharge pumping rates have been correlated from Boltzmann code predictions. The model is described, important dimensionless parameters are identified, and results for small-signal gain and extracted power are presented and interpreted. The conditions have been specifically selected to show the most significant trends with pressure level, gas mixture, and other major independent design variables.

Date Published: 28 July 1989
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 1042, CO2 Lasers and Applications, (28 July 1989); doi: 10.1117/12.951256

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1042:
CO2 Lasers and Applications
James D. Evans; Edward V. Locke, Editor(s)