Investigation of the divergence of the radiation emitted by a pulsed CO2 electron-beam-controlled laser

An experimental study was made of the dependence of the divergence of the radiation emitted by a pulsed CO₂ electron-beam-controlled atmospheric-pressure laser on the power and duration of pumping, on the intensity of the stimulated radiation, on the composition of the mixture, and on the resonator parameters. A comparison was made of the effects of cathode and anode waves on the laser divergence, and of the eifect of a density wave generated at the boundary of the laser beam because of the thermal self-interaction. This self-interaction alone resulted in a divergence which was more than three times greater than the diffraction limit.