Pulsed CO laser and laser amplifier operating on oxygen containing gas mixtures

Abstract

Temporal behavior of small signal gain in pulsed CO laser amplifier operating with oxygen rich gas mixtures CO:He:O 2 and CO:N 2 :O 2 was experimentally studied. The rich content of oxygen in helium mixture (CO:He:O 2 =1:4:2) resulted in ~8-fold increase of the maximum gain on low vibrational transitions (10→9) and strong absorption on high ones (21→20). A high efficient pulsed CO laser operating with gas mixture in which oxygen substituted for nitrogen was launched.