Energy loading effects in the scaling of atomic xenon lasers

The intrinsic power efficiency of the atomic xenon (5d→6p) infrared (1.73-3.65-μm) laser is sensitive to the rate of pumping due to electron collision mixing of the laser levels. Long-duration pumping at moderate power deposition may therefore result in higher energy efficiencies than pumping at higher powers. The consequences of high energy deposition (hundreds of joules per atmosphere) during long pumping pulses (hundreds of microseconds) on the intrinsic power and energy efficiency and optimum power deposition of the atomic xenon laser are examined. The dominant effect of high energy loading, gas heating, causes an increase in the electron collision mixing of the laser levels. The optimum power deposition for a given gas density therefore shifts to lower values with increasing gas temperature