Mode-locked electron-beam sustained discharge CO laser

Abstract

Actively mode-locked electron-beam-sustained-discharge CO-laser producing ~10 ns (FWHM) pulses repetition rate 10 MHz for both single-line and multiline mode of operation was experimentally studied. The total laser pulse duration was ~0.5 ms for both mode-locked and free running laser conditions. The specific output energy in multiline CO-laser mode of operation was up to 20 J l -1 Amagat -1 and the laser efficiency up to 3.5%. The active mode-locking was achieved for single-line CO-laser mode of operation in the spectral range 5.2-5.3 micron. The radiation can be used for laser ablation, for pumping an optical parametric amplifier in optical stochastic cooling of relativistic heavy ions, and for studying vibrational and rotational relaxation of NO molecules.