Shortening of pulses emitted by a chemical DF–CO2 laser

The possibility is demonstrated of shortening the pulses emitted by a chemical DF–CO₂ laser, pumped by a xenon flashlamp in an oscillator-amplifier system, without significant losses of the output energy. By matching the oscillator and amplifier operating regimes, a reduction in the pulse duration of from 1.5 to 0.15 μ sec was achieved with an output energy of ~30 J and an average specific output energy of 0.02 J/cm³.