Measurements of transverse-gain profiles in rf- and dc-excited CO2 gain cavities

Abstract

Spatially resolved transverse-gain profile measurements have been made in rf- and dc-excited waveguidelike cavities for CO2 laser gas mixtures. Both current density and gas temperature impact the CO2 gain profile. As measured, transversely rf-excited cavities show higher CO2 gain near the wall boundaries when compared to longitudinally dc-excited cavities. We propose that transverse-rf excitation may be inherently better than dc-longitudinal excitation in producing a higher average spatial gain, owing to more uniform current density pumping.