Abstract

In a number of applications, such as laser telemetry, TEA CO₂ lasers operating in a sealed mode have to be extremely compact and maintain a useful output energy. These requirements can be met by increasing the pump energy density delivered into the discharge, on condition that any degeneration of the discharge uniformity must be avoided. This can be done by using suitable discharge electrodes and preionizer geometry. The TEA laser we used had two 10-mm diam stainless steel rod electrodes defining a discharge region 160 mm long with a 10-mm gap.

© 1981 Optical Society of America