cw carbon monoxide laser with rf excitation in the supersonic flow

Abstract

A cw CO laser with rf discharge transverse to the supersonic flow is described. Using segmented electrodes an electric power density of 33 W/cm3 or 0.15 eV/CO molecule is deposited in a homogeneous arc-free plasma at 7 Torr. At a laser power of 60 W the emission occurs predominantly on the V=5→4 and 4→3 transitions.