Electrical characteristics of a double-discharge TEA CO2 laser

摘要

The volume-discharge and arc-formation characteristics of a double-discharge self-sustaining TEA CO2 laser have been studied. The results indicate that the discharge is a form of high-pressure glow of limited stability. An experimental study of arc formation indicates that this may be a result of ionization and attachment instabilities which are predicted to grow in the transient discharge. A simple technique based on the experimental steady-state discharge characteristic has been used to maximize the stable energy density in a 7.5-cm gap system operating at atmospheric pressure.