RF EXCITATION OF A FLOWING GAS CO2 WAVE-GUIDE LASER

Investigation of an RF excited CO2 waveguide laser in flowing gas operation is reported. Power extraction of 0.8 W/cm with efficiency of 10.3% has been achieved. Using Rigrod's analysis, values of the small-signal gain alpha0 and saturation parameter I(s) have been determined for different excitation levels and for different pressures of the amplifying medium. The parameters alpha0 and I(s) have been determined as 0.6%/cm and 10.4 kW/cm2, respectively, at 125 torr and 100 W/cm3 RF loading power. These values are close to those reported for sealed-off RF CO2 waveguide lasers with xenon added to the gas mixture.