Investigation of the influence of small amounts of tri-n-propylamine on the output characteristics of a TEA CO2 laser

An experimental study was made of the influence of small amounts of tri-n-propylamine (TPA) on the vibrational temperatures of the molecules of the active medium and output parameters of a TEA CO₂ laser emitting 00⁰1–[10⁰0,02⁰0]_I,II and 00⁰2–[10⁰1, 02⁰1]_I,II bands. The effect of the TPA molecules on the active medium of the CO₂ laser was found to be governed by two main competing factors: an increase in the efficiency of excitation of the asymmetric CO₂ mode and of the vibrations of N₂, on the one hand, and a strong deactivation of the vibrational energy stored in the asymmetric mode, on the other. A calculation was made of the rate constant of the process of deactivation of the asymmetric CO₂ mode by the TPA molecules.