Volumetric UV photo-ionization in co laser media

Author

Babcock, R.V.

Author_Institution

Westinghouse Res. Labs., Pittsburgh, PA, USA

fYear

1974

fDate

9-11 Dec. 1974

Firstpage

165

Lastpage

168

Abstract

Self-sustained discharges initiated by UV volume photo-ionization are an excellent means of pumping pulsed, high-power lasers. As a pre-requisite to understanding the scaling of uniform discharges to large volume, photo-electron generation from a bare spark source was measured versus source distance (2-22 cm), gas composition and pressure (0.2-1 atm), peak spark current (10-1200 amp), spark supply energy (0.0125-2.5 Joules), and spark duration (0.02-40 μs). As a result, the controlling physical mechanisms are now sufficiently understood to specify the initial electron distribution produced by an array of spark sources in an arbitrary CO₂, N₂. He discharge volume.

Keywords

gas lasers; optical pumping; photoionisation; sparks; CO₂ laser media; current 10 A to 1200 A; discharge volume; electron distribution; energy 0.0125 J to 2.5 J; gas composition; peak spark current; photoelectron generation; physical mechanisms control; pressure 0.2 atm to 1 atm; pumping pulsed high-power lasers; self-sustained discharges; source distance; spark duration; spark sources array; spark supply energy; time 0.02 mus to 40 mus; uniform discharges scaling; volumetric UV photoionization; Abstracts; Gas lasers; Helium; Measurement by laser beam; Photonics; Pollution measurement; Surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), 1974 International

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

ISSN

0163-1918

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEDM.1974.6219656

Filename

6219656