Catalyst enhanced high power radio frequency excited CO2 slab laser

Abstract

A substantial improvement in the specific laser output power (up to 30%) and efficiency (up to 50%) of a radio frequency (rf) excited slab CO2 laser with a distributed gold catalyst is observed when a large amount of CO (more than 60% of CO2 concentration) is added to the laser gas mixture. A maximum output power of 160 W with an efficiency of 17% was obtained from a laser with an active volume of 2×15×370 mm3. Gas mixtures with a high CO concentration combined with a distributed gold catalyst also accelerate the start-up time of rf pumped CO2 lasers considerably.