Clipping the tail of a TE–CO2 laser pulse using a gas breakdown technique for high resolution chemical plume detection

Abstract

In this article we present the realization of a spark-induced plasma shutter, working in free atmosphere, to clip off the nitrogen tail of a TE CO2 laser source. The clipping mechanism has been tested and gain switched spike pulses ranging between 100 and 115 ns have been obtained at 10P20-laser line. The shutter mechanism was optimized. In this way a clipping efficiency of 100% and a jitter value around 15 ns were obtained.