Efficiency of CO2 amplifiers

The results are given of a computer study of the optimal conditions for the formation of radiation pulses of Pt_rad = 10^–9–2x10^–8 sec·atm "duration" in a quantum amplifier. It is shown that for Pt_rad≤10^–9 sec·atm the efficiency of conversion of the electrical energy into coherent radiation is 5–8% when the density of the energy absorbed in the discharge is Q/P = 0.03–0.1 J·cm^–3·atm^–1. For Pt_rad = 2x10^–8sec·atm, and Q/P = 0.04–0.2 J·cm^–3·atm^–1, the efficiency is 10–20%. In both cases the optimal mixture is CO₂:N₂ = 1:0.25 when the relative electron density in the discharge is n/P = 8x10¹² cm^–3·atm^–1 and the electric field corresponds to E/P = 4–9 kV·cm^–1·atm^–1. The results can be used to estimate the parameters of an amplifier when the radiation energy is specified. It is shown that the practical realization of a high-energy amplifier will require the construction of special highvoltage low-resistance power supply sources.