Small solid-state switched pulser-sustainer TEA CO₂laser

Abstract

A corona preionized pulser-sustainer, transverse, electric, atmospheric CO2 laser has been developed. This small-aperture laser can produce 180 mJ optical pulses of 5 mu s duration from a discharge volume of 15.6 cm2 with an efficiency of 12.4%. The laser was driven by a simple inexpensive solid-state exciter.

A photoswitched small TEA CO2laser

“…The corona uv sources are driven from an isolation transformer by the solid state circuit shown in figure 3. The operation of this small thyristor-driven magnetic pulse compressor has been detailed previously in conncction with a pulser-sustainer laser [9] and it provides a nominal 60 ns risetime I O kV output voltage gas mix, an electron density value of over IO9 electrons per cm3 was found. This initial free-electron density is larger than the nominal 10' electrons per cm3 which discharge stability theory suggests is required to promote stable discharges [IO].…”

Experimental study of sealed off operation of a high repetition rate TEA CO2 laser

“…Until now, two major factors limiting the wide usage of these lasers are the short lifetime of a discharge switch and degradation of the laser gas. Several experimental and theoretical efforts have been re-ported on using solid-state switches instead of expensive gas switches [4,5] and closed-cycle laser gas mixture [5].…”