A gigahertz tunable, high power, high repetition rate rf CO2 laser operating without He

This paper reports on a gigahertz mode-tunable waveguide CO₂ laser operating with high-pressure He-free mixtures (0.4 bar), with a long pulse (20 μs) high repetition rate (1 kHz) radio-frequency discharge. Single-mode tuning at 0.92 GHz with good mean laser linewidth (<40 MHz) and large peak power (150 W) have been obtained over 40 laser lines, with 0.3 W mean power. By using standard He reach mixtures both the laser line number and mean power are slightly increased.     

Variation of the gas components of a TEA CO2 laser during its lifetime

An in situ mass-spectrometric sampling technique has been developed for lifetime studies of TEA CO₂ lasers. Using the new technique, an analysis of the gas components of a TEA CO₂ laser during its lifetime has been performed. The results show that the laser output pulse energy was strongly influenced by the oxygen concentration inside the device.     

Various techniques for multiline operation of TEA CO2 lasers

The various techniques used for multiline operation of TEA CO₂ lasers are reviewed with particular reference to the multiline laser parameters of interest in laser applications.     

Temperature distribution along oversized hollow-core waveguides for CO2 laser radiation

Temperature distributions along various hollow waveguides are fully analysed experimentally when the waveguides are excited by CO₂ laser light. It is shown that the temperature decreases in an oscillatory manner along the waveguides due to the interference effect of guided modes. The distributors are well explained by a theory developed previously.     

A compact, highly stable CW CO2 laser without brewster windows

We describe an open resonator, quasi sealed-off; 70cm cavity length CO₂ laser with very high stability of power and frequency, which lases on 96 lines from 9R42 (2W) to 10P52 (5W) with a power of >11W on 9R20, 9P20, 10R20 and 10P20, plus on 18 hotband lines with ≈2W. This laser was used successfully to pump an FIR ring laser [1] enabling an FIR power stability of ΔP/P ≈ 10⁻⁴ by use of a simple PI control loop, thus demonstrating its superb frequency stability.     

Pulse behaviour of a compact RF discharged CO2 slab laser

We present the measurements made on a medium power, 35 cm long, radio-frequency discharge CO₂ slab laser operated in a pulsed regime obtained by switching the RF discharge. In this way, pulses with peak power up to 480 W at pulse repetition frequencies in the range 1 to 10 kHz have been obtained. Pulse energy and average extracted power have been experimentally characterized with respect to the pulse repetition frequency and to the pulse duration, and the pulse shape and characteristic times have been measured. We also investigated the propagation properties of the beam emerging from our laser.     

Detection of small N2O concentrations using a frequency doubled CO2 laser

A reliable procedure for remote high-accuracy laser detection of N₂O as one of the principal destroyers of the protective ozone layer of the Earth has been developed. The procedure is based on using a CO₂-laser system emitting efficiently in the 4.5 μm range. In this case lasing from isotopic modification ¹²C¹⁸O₂ of carbon dioxide with its subsequent frequency doubling by a nonlinear crystal is used. With the object of reducing the price the composition of the active medium (both for TEA laser and low-pressure longitudinal-discharge-excitation laser) has been optimized. New high-efficiency intracavity frequency doubling schemes based on nonlinear AgGaSe₂ crystals have been developed for CO₂-lasers of both types. Low concentrations of N₂O and concentrations of the principal background gases CO and H₂O have been measured under real atmosphere conditions with the aid of the lidar complex built around these lasers.     

Advanced CO2 laser rangefinders

Factors affecting the design of compact heterodyne- and direct-detection systems are contrasted. Recent UK achievements are placed in context: a TEA laser direct-detection rangefinder and a chirp-pulse-comparison rangefinder-velocimeter are described.     

Absorption coefficients of O3 at CO2 laser wavelengths

The O₃ absorption coefficients for the rotational lines P(12)–P(28) of the 9.4 μm emission band of the CO₂ laser are presented. Measurements were made in O₃–air dilute mixtures (20–600 ppm) at 25°C and a total pressure of 1013.25 h Pa using a frequency stabilized cw CO₂ laser and values have been determined with greater precision than in previously reported studies.     

Current CO2 laser surgery

With the development of suitable instrumentation, human-engineered to fulfil the requirements of the clinical surgeon and designed to fit in with the physical conditions prevailing in the operating theatre, laser surgery has advanced rapidly in the past few years. It shows signs of even more rapid progress and general acceptance as its application and advantages in more and more fields of surgery are demonstrated.     

Loss reduction of dielectric-coated metallic hollow waveguides for CO2 laser light transmission

A condition for reducing transmission loss of a dielectric-coated metallic hollow waveguide is shown theoretically when the inner metallic surface is not perfect. It is also shown that the transmission loss for CO₂ laser light is 10.6 μm wavelength is able to be estimated from an attenuation spectrum of a short waveguide. By fabricating a ZnSe coated Ag hollow waveguide of short length, we have shown that it has a lower loss than a Ge coated waveguide for CO₂ laser light.     

CO2 laser welding of copper slabs

For the first time it has been possible to laser weld copper sheets up to 3 mm thick with a 2 kW cw CO₂ laser. The main questions arising from the process are indicated.     

In-process high power CO2 laser beam position sensing

The case for in-process sensing is one of the strengths of laser materials processing, both in the variety of signals obtainable from the process and the range of techniques for beam guidance. It is known that beam/nozzle alignment is of importance for high quality laser cutting. Thus, an in-process beam position sensing system was devised in this study as one of the potential tools for automation of the cutting process. Further, if the beam could be stabilized at a given location automatically this would be equivalent to relocating the laser beam. Laser beam position sensing is the first step towards this goal. The aim of this study is to create a beam position sensing system. This work presents a new approach using a rotating slit, a focusing lens and a photodetector. An automatic alignment procedure is also investigated.     

Multi-channel slab CO2 laser excitation with resonant cavities

A unique way of driving a multi-channel RF excited slab laser is presented. Resonant cavity techniques are employed to provide high power splitting and impedance transformation. Uniform and isolated power division was observed in eight discharge channels, stacked in a radial array, referred to as the Zodiac geometry. Impedance matching networks were not necessary as the RF cavity splitter creates a near ideal voltage source capable of driving any impedance. With 8 out of the 24 electrodes driven in the radial array, optical powers in excess of 1.2 kW have been observed at efficiencies of 12%.     

A compact TEA CO2 laser for field-based spectrochemical analysis of geological samples

A compact capacitor-transfer TEA CO₂ laser of 180 mJ output energy and 50 ns pulse duration in half width was designed and constructed for field use. This laser is suitable for laser microprobe spectrochemical analysis on geological and mining samples. Experiments show that the use of helium as a surrounding gas suppresses the continuous emission spectrum of the plasma, thus increasing the S/N ratio. Using glass as standard samples, the minimum detectable concentrations are estimated with Zn neutral line and F ionic line to be 60 ppm and 500 ppm, respectively.     

Short single-mode CO2 laser pulse generation by pulsed Q-switching

A simple method for the generation of short, single-mode CO₂ laser pulses produced by applying two voltage gates (of amplitude 3U_λ/4 and U_λ/4) to an electro-optic Q-switch placed in a three-mirror cavity is proposed. Single, single-mode, well-synchronizable pulses of 3 ns duration and of 3 mJ energy have been experimentally achieved from a TEA CO₂ laser with an intracavity Pockels cell with 3 ns switching time. Using a numerical simulation it is shown that with shorter switching time (≈1 ns) the method enables one to obtain, from such a laser, a single, megawatt pulse of 1 ns duration.     

Thermal processes taking place in the bone during CO2 laser irradiation

The present study examines the drilling and heating of a bone due to pulsed CO₂ laser irradiation. To obtain temperature profiles inside and at the surface of the bone, electron-kinetic and Fourier theories are used. The study is extended to include an experimental investigation into the measurement of the penetration speed. This is achieved using a fibre-optic system. In order to reduce the degree of burning around the hole side, helium was used as the assisting gas during drilling. It is found that the penetration speeds predicted from the theory are in good agreement with the experimentally obtained values.     

A simple microcomputer- controlled CO2 laser wavelength tuning system

A CO₂ laser wavelength tuning system with microcomputer-controlled diffraction grating positioning is reported. The system employs a dc micromotor operating in a closed loop positioning servo and is characterized by simplicity of hardware. Fast wavelength tuning over a broad spectral range is achieved with the variable positioning speed technique. System performance is evaluated in conjunction with a TEA CO₂ laser.     

Mathematical modelling of gain-switched RF-excited CO2 waveguide laser

The detailed mathematical models for the evolution of light pulses in RF-excited CO2 waveguide lasers are derived. Explicit expressions for the pulse characteristics in RF-excited CO2 waveguide lasers are obtained. The effects of losses and unsaturated gain on output power are calculated.