Emission spectrum of an electric-ionization high-pressure carbon dioxide laser

An investigation was made of the emission spectrum of an electric ionlzation high-pressure CO₂ laser. The four strongest vibration-rotational transitions were active in a resonator without a dispersive element. The intensities of the lines fluctuated strongly though the total output was relatively stable. Interferometric measurements of the spectral width of the P(20) lines of the 00⁰1–10⁰0 band were carried out in a plane-parallel dispersive resonator with a diffraction grating. The width of this line increased with the gas pressure and with the excess of the pumping level over the threshold.