Carbon monoxide laser emitting nanosecond pulses with 10 MHz repetition rate

Abstract

Actively mode-locked electron-beam-sustained-discharge CO laser producing a train of ∼5–15 ns (FWHM) spikes following with repetition rate 10 MHz for both single-line and multiline mode of operation in the mid-IR range of ∼5 μm was experimentally studied. Total laser pulse duration was ∼0.5 ms for both mode-locked and free-running laser. Specific output energy in multiline CO laser mode of operation was up to 20 Jl −1 Amagat −1 and the laser efficiency up to 3.5%. The active mode-locking was achieved for single-line CO laser mode of operation in spectral range 5.2–5.3 μm. This sort of radiation can be used for pumping an optical parametric amplifier for optical stochastic cooling in relativistic heavy ion collider, for laser ablation, and for studying vibrational and rotational relaxation of CO and NO molecules.