Parametric study of a cold-cathode electron-beam-controlled CO$sub 2$ laser
Parametric studies are presented of the performance of a 10-liter atmosphetic-pressure CO/sub 2/ laser system controlled by a 4- mu sec pulse of electrons from a cold-cathode gun. The experimental results are compared to the predictions of a theoretical model. For various laser-gas mixtures and values of E/P, the peak small-signal-gain coefficients range up to 4.7% cm/sup -1/. Measurements of gain uniformity across the laser medium and of the time dependence of the small-signal gain are also presented. Operation of the device as an oscillator over a range of parameters has shown that the output pulse typically consists of a sharp gain-switched spike followed by a longer tail, with energies up to 30 J in the spike and 200 J in the entire pulse. The theoretical model generally predicts peak small-signal gain well for gas mixtures containing nitrogen; the largest discrepancy is for pure CO/sub 2/ gas. The model also predicts the shapes of oscillator pulses satisfactorily. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(29-1)-789
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-012487
- OSTI ID:
- 4383338
- Report Number(s):
- SLA-73-1022
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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