Electron-beam-controlled laser using a CO2–N2–H2 mixture

The dependence of the efficiency and specific output energy of an electron-beam-controlled CO₂ atmospheric-pressure laser on the hydrogen content in a CO₂–N₂–H₂ active mixture was investigated experimentally. The efficiency obtainable by the addition of a small amount of hydrogen to a CO₂–N₂ mixture was 15–20% higher than for a similar mixture without hydrogen. The optimum hydrogen concentration decreased when the pump power was reduced or the pump pulse lengthened. On changing from a CO₂–N₂–He to a CO₂–N₂–H₂ mixture the maximum efficiency realized experimentally remained practically constant, but the specific output energy rose because a higher specific pump energy was achieved.