SELF-LOCKING OF MODES IN A HIGH-PRESSURE CO2 LASER WITH TRANSVERSE PULSE EXCITATION

Abstract

An investigation has been made of the spontaneous self-locking of axial modes in a transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO2 laser of helical geometry. Laser emission was found to consist of 0.5-μsec bursts of short periodic pulsations typically 5 nsec in duration with peak powers in the megawatt range. Reproducible pulsating patterns have been achieved with the use of SF6 acting as mode selector in the optical resonator.