Calculation of the pump function for a copper vapor laser

A calculation is reported of the pump function for the transitions responsible for the $\lambda=510,6$ and $578,2$ nm emission from a copper vapor laser. A considerable reduction in the inversion density in the case of the 510.6 nm emission, due to plasma processes, is predicted to occur during the emission pulse itself. In the case of the 578.2 nm emission such a reduction is much slower.