Performance studies of a novel design atmospheric pressure pulsed HF/DF laser

Intense multi and single line laser operation is reported from TEA semiconductively preionised HF/DF lasers employing various discrete components or flat plate excitation circuits. The performance, the spectral and the beam characteristics of these lasers are given and are compared to the characteristics of previously described HF/DF lasers. Their improved performance parameters are explained in terms of the preionizing action of the semiconductors, the low inductance of the circuits employed and the good matching of the voltage and current waveforms of the excitation circuitry to their excitation. Finally, their potential in specific applications, like infrared vitreous surgery (HF) or atmospheric laser beam propagation (DF), is stressed.