Quasi-cw CO2 laser emitting rectangular radiation pulses

A description is given of a simple electric-discharge CO₂ laser with a constant output power of 5 kW during a pulse of 0.5–2 msec duration. An analysis is made of possible applications of this laser in physical and technological investigations of the interaction of laser radiation with matter, as well as in studies and optimization of cw electric-discharge CO₂ lasers.