Influence of Ar on the emission characteristics of an electron-beam-controlled СO2 laser

An investigation was made of the influence of Ar on the energy, temporal, and spatial characteristics of radiation from a pulsed atmospheric-pressure electron-beam-controlled СO₂ laser pumped by pulses of 15–30 μs duration. Complete replacement of helium with argon in a СO₂–N₂–He active mixture resulted in a considerable reduction in the output energy because of the low rate of filling the lower active level. When He was partially replaced with Ar, a typical output energy from a СO₂:N₂:He = 1:2:3 mixture could be obtained at a lower electron-beam current density or electric field strength. Argon caused degradation in the radiation divergence.