Effects of a spark switch and stray capacities on the operation of a N2-laser

The laser-tube stray capacity and the time dependent spark resistances of the pulsing system influence the operation of a N₂-laser. Their analysis with experimental and analog-computer methods yields an optimum value of the stray capacity. In the case of a 40 kV pulse from a 2-gap Marx generator with a 0.4 J energy input we obtain 120 kW laser output with 2.5 ns halfwidth at an optimum stray capacity of 120 pF. A substantially reduced threshold value and increased laser output were observed with a fast single-gap transmission line pulser of the “Nanolite” type.