Compact CO laser

A description is given of a compact cw electric-discharge CO laser with an output power of about 1 W in one line. The laser was constructed by taking a tube from a CO₂ laser of the LG-74 type; the tube diameter was 4.8 mm and its length was 40 cm. The laser was operated in the many- and single-line regimes. A single line was obtained by placing a prism inside the resonator.