Characteristics of copper HyBrID-type lasers which use HCl reactive gas

We have investigated the output behaviour of a low temperature HyBrID-type copper laser operating with a flowing Ne–HCl reactive gas mixture. 15.5 W of average power was observed from a 19 mm bore device at 23 kHz PRF corresponding to a specific output power of 78 mW/cm3. The output power was 20–30% lower than that of the same device operating with an Ne–HBr mixture; however, it markedly exceeds the output of similar sized elemental copper vapour lasers (with or without hydrogen additive). This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.