Population inversion and radiation density in a Q-switched CO2 laser

The mechanism of lasing in a steady-state CO₂ laser has been investigated in [1–3]. In this paper we present a numerical analysis of the processes which occur in a CO₂ laser when the resonator is rapidly Q-switched. It is shown that the transition of the laser into the state with a new Q has an oscillatory form.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 6, pp. 18–23, November–December, 1972.We wish to thank R. I. Soloukhin for his interest and help.