Large-aperture CO2 amplifier

A report is given of construction of a CO₂ amplifier with an aperture of 40 cm, pumped by a self-sustained volume discharge with a system of electrodes without a special profile. The volume discharge formed as a result of filling of the gap with a flux of electrons from the plasma of an auxiliary discharge initiated under a grid cathode with sharp edges. The smallsignal gain on the optic axis was 3.3 m ^–1 and its distribution over the aperture was nearly uniform.