Influence of preionization conditions on the development of a homogeneous discharge in gases

The influence of the initial conditions on the development of a homogeneous discharge in the geometry of a typical TEA CO₂ laser was studied, the active medium being preionized by ultraviolet radiation from an auxiliary discharge. It was established theoretically and experimentally that there is a certain range of values of the initial electron density and electric field, within which a volume-discharge regime is realized, and conditions and equations determining the limits of this range were formulated. The physical model developed explains a number of effects which characterize the operation of transversely pumped pulsed gas-discharge lasers.