Efficient method of pumping wide-aperture TEA-CO2 lasers

The initiation of volume pumping discharges in TEA-CO2 lasers with beam cross-section up to 10x10 cm is most expediently carried out using plasma and VUV radiation of auxiliary high-voltage and low-current discharges. The present work describes a modified method of excitation of the volume pumping discharges in wide-aperture TEA-CO2 lasers using a low-power auxiliary corona discharge. Application of this method allowed to excite volume discharges in intervals V1 = 5 x 5 x 40 = 1000 cm3 and V2 = 10 x 10 x 30 = 3000 cm3 with energy pumping density in working mixtures CO2:N2:Ne = 0.5:0.5:8 - 1:1:8 at atmospheric pressure up to 100÷120 mJ∙cm-3.