Observation of mutual enhancement of stimulated emission lines of a CO laser

An experimental investigation was made of the interaction between stimulated emission lines of a CO laser by varying the losses and the frequency of one of the lasing transitions under cw and Q-switched conditions. Mutual enhancement of the lines was observed, which was an effect opposite to competition between the transitions. Theoretical estimates of the effect were in qualitative agreement with the experimental results. The influence of cascade and relaxation processes on the characteristics of the laser radiation was analyzed.