Explosive modification of the absorption in CO2 and pulsations of the emission from a CO2 laser

An experimental investigation was made of some features of stimulated emission from a CO₂ laser caused by an intracavity absorbing cell containing CO₂ gas. Under certain conditions, resonant absorption of λ = 9.6 and 10.6 μm radiation in CO₂ caused an abrupt enhancement of small initial pulsations of the emission from a CO₂ laser. This effect was interpreted on the basis of an "explosive change" in the absorption in an intracavity absorbing cell.