Continuous wave operation of a non-self-sustained electric discharge pumped oxygen-iodine laser

Abstract

This letter discusses operation of an electric discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser using a high-pressure, non-self-sustained pulser-sustainer discharge. Small signal gain on the 1315nm iodine atom transition and the laser output power are measured in the M=3 supersonic cavity downstream of the discharge section. In a 15% O2–85% He mixture, at a discharge pressure of 60torr and discharge power of 1.5kW, the highest gain measured in the M=3 cavity is 0.022%∕cm, at the flow temperature of T=100±10K. At these conditions, the laser output power is 0.28W.