Enhancement of the efficiency of a beam He laser by molecular additives

Addition of small amounts (1–3%) of molecular gases (N₂,CO₂) to high-density (p≈1–3 atm) Ar–Xe, He–Xe, and Kr–Xe mixtures pumped an electron beam (j ≈ 20–100 A/cm²) enhanced the energy of infrared laser radiation (λ ≈2.03 and 2.65 μ) by a factor of 10–15. The effect was attributed to an improvement in the recombination pumping as a result of reduction in the electron temperature.