Abstract:
An account is given of the design characteristics of a transversely excited CO2 laser with automated tuning over the lines in regular (0001-1000, 0001–0200) and nontraditional (0002–1001, 0002–0201, 0111–1110) bands, developed specially for sounding of the atmosphere. Measurements of the small-signal gain and an experimental determination of the vibrational temperatures T3 and T2 were used to optimise the active medium. About 200 stimulated emission lines were excited by regular and nontraditional transitions in the range λ = 9.1–11.3 μm. The output energy per pulse was in excess of 2 and 1 J for the strong regular and nontraditional lines, respectively.