Low inductance CO2 TE laser.

A carbon dioxide TE laser was constructed with a half-litre discharge volume preionised by ultraviolet emitting spark arrays. The laser provided a 6 J output pulse at 10 per cent efficiency on the 944 cm-1 P20 line and, when fitted with a diffraction grating, was operated on a wide range of lines (956) cm-1 P4, 2J; 1017 cm-1 P50, 0.5 J). Tests showed that a uniform output flux was available from the laser before organic dopant had been used. However, raising the discharge circuit inductance from 150 nH to 1300 nH greatly disturbed the output beam uniformity by streamer growth. No significant pulse energy decrease accompanied this growth