Abstract
Use of short resonators may result in single-longitudinal-mode TE CO2 lasers. The active volume is then small, and the output energy is limited to a few tens of millljoules. We show that, by using a low-magnification 50-cm Cassegrain resonator and decreasing the pressure, it is possible to obtain high-power single-longitudinal-mode operation with efficient energy extraction. With a Gaussian convex coupler to discriminate against high-order transverse modes, the far field is close to the diffraction limit, and the pulse shape is free from transverse mode beating.
© 1986 Optical Society of America
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