Effect of the active medium temperature on the operation of fast-flow CO2 lasers

A new formula is obtained for estimating the output power of fast-flow CO₂ lasers. It is shown that a higher specific output power of these CO₂ lasers in comparison with sealed-off CO₂ lasers is caused mainly by the higher saturation intensity of the former. It is concluded that the temperature of the laser active medium affects almost only the charge stability and that, under stable discharge conditions, the same output power can be obtained at different temperatures of the active medium.