Repetitively pulsed CO2 laser driven by an electron accelerator with a gas-discharge plasma cathode

A repetitively pulsed electron-beam-controlled CO₂ laser driven by an electron accelerator with a plasma electron emitter based on low-pressure glow discharge with hollow anode and cathode is presented. The application of the proposed emitter makes it possible to sharply increase the current and to control the electron-beam duration and, hence, the energy and time characteristics of the laser. It is demonstrated that the radiation pulse duration ranges from 300 to 1200 μs, whereas the radiation energy amounts to 200 J at an efficiency of 18%. In the course of lasing, the focal spot is not affected by the heterogeneous heating of the active medium. A significant heterogeneity in the gas flow upon an incomplete renewal of the gas in the zone filled with radiation leads to an increase in the focal spot owing to the wavefront distortions. Original Text ? Astro, Ltd., 2006.