Accession Number:

AD0735334

Title:

Population Inversion in a Pulsed Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen and Helium Discharge.

Descriptive Note:

Research and development technical rept,

Corporate Author:

ARMY ELECTRONICS COMMAND FORT MONMOUTH N J

Personal Author(s):

• Zinn,Mortimer H.

Report Date:

1971-11-01

Pagination or Media Count:

61.0

Abstract:

Measurements of the gain in an amplifier discharge tube containing a fixed composition, 11.55.6 CO2-N2-He gas were made under both ac exicted and pulse discharge conditions. While the ac gain results indicated a possible increase in gain with increasing current densities, the pulsed discharge experiments failed to bear out this extrapolation. Instead, the gain reaches a limit that is apparently due to the availability of CO2, but persists for 240 to 300 microseconds after the conculsion of the excitation pulse. Population inversion was calculated from the pulsed gain measurements. The results indicate that high-powered laser action cannot be achieved by extension of the linear design used. The results also indicate that experimenters cannot assume the achievement of high-peak-power output based on measured average-power output and the excitation duty cycle. Author

Descriptors:

• *GAS LASERS
• GAIN
• CARBON DIOXIDE
• NITROGEN
• HELIUM
• POWER
• INFRARED LASERS

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE