Abstract
We have developed a high-power microwave discharge excited carbon-dioxide laser oscillator by using a newly developed method called the orthogonal electric fields method in which the vibration direction of an electric field changes over time for achievement of a homogeneously spread electric discharge. A homogeneously spread electric discharge with a high output power and a high laser efficiency has been generated. The relative discharge area of the electric discharge accounted for about 70% of the cross section of the laser tube. In the configuration of a single discharge area, we achieved a maximum laser output power of 273 W at 1450 W microwave input power, and a a maximum laser efficiency of 20.2% at 1070 W microwave input power. At the maximum laser output power, the input power density was high, at about 240 W/cm<SUP>3</SUP>, which is about 20 times that achieved using a dc discharge method. Furthermore, a demonstration model having five electric discharge areas in a laser tube showed a maximum laser output power of 609 W at 3590 W microwave input power, and a maximum laser efficiency of 22.7% at 1394 W microwave input power. This work demonstrates the possibility of fabrication of a high-power microwave discharge excited carbon-dioxide laser which could be widely used industrially.
Published Version
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