Relaxation of CO2laser levels by collisions with foreign gases

Relaxation time of the 00⁰1 upper and 10⁰0 lower CO2laser levels as a function of H2O, CO, and Xe gas pressure has been measured using the afterglow pulse-gain technique. Lifetime data for these gas mixtures and also for mixtures of CO2, CO2-H2, CO2-He, and CO2-N2, obtained previously, are analyzed and compared with available ultrasonic and fluorescence data. Results indicate that the 10⁰0 and 01¹0 levels of CO2are strongly coupled and depletion of the lower laser level population is essentially limited by the relaxation rate of the 01¹0 level. Other processes involving energy exchange between CO2and foreign gases are detailed.