Diagnostics of the active medium of a waveguide CO 2 laser: Vibrational distributions and plasma-chemical processes

Abstract

High-resolution diode laser spectroscopy has been used to study the active medium of a waveguide CO 2 laser. Detailed rotational and vibrational distributions of the CO 2 molecules in a capillary glow discharge plasma have been obtained over a wide range of experimental conditions. Influences exerted by plasma-chemical processes on the rates of excitation and deactivation of the molecular vibrations in the discharge plasma have been investigated. The results of this study make it possible to construct a satisfactory kinetic model of the active medium of the waveguide CO 2 laser.