Selection of optimal pump power for a CO2 laser with a non-self-sustained discharge

A numerical analysis is made of a kinetic model of the processes occurring in a pulse CO₂ laser excited by a non-self-sustained discharge. It is shown that the results of calculations are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data in the range of pump powers covering long- and short-pulse regimes. The proposed model is used in the optimization of the parameters of this laser at atmospheric pressure in the specific pump power range 1–10³ kW/cm³. It is found that the optimal specific power, which produces the highest specific output energy in a pulse Q_out corresponds to high He concentrations in the gas mixture. The maximum value of Q_out(0.12 J cm^–3 atm^–3 for an efficiency up to 25%) is achieved at pump powers corresponding to discharge electron densities in the range (1–5)X10¹³ cm^–3 and for pump pulse durations 5–10 μsec.