Control of the spectral composition of 40-μs radiation pulses from an atmospheric pressure CO2 laser

Experiments were carried out demonstrating the possibility of generation of high-power CO₂ laser pulses of 40 μs duration emitted as a single rotational line by a system of coupled selective and nonselective resonators. When the laser emitted one rotational line the laser efficiency and divergence were practically the same as for many rotational lines. An anisotropy of the radiation divergence was noted in the presence of high-velocity flow of the active medium.