Energy characteristics of the laser action in rhodamine 6G pumped by a pinched discharge

A study was made of the optimal conditions for the laser action in rhodamine 6G pumped by a pinched discharge. These conditions were determined as a function of the pressure in the discharge chamber, the reflection coefficients of the mirrors, and the concentration of the rhodamine solution. It was found that the laser output energy was a superlinear function of the electrical pumping energy. This was attributed to an increase in the efficiency of the pinched discharge which occurred when the electrical energy was increased. The maximum efficiency of the rhodamine laser was 0.2%, the energy output was 1 J/cm³, and the maximum output power was 10 MW.