Thermal self-interaction in a CO laser

A theoretical investigation is made of the influence of the radiation intensity on the release of heat in the active medium of a CO laser. The main channel for heating the active medium involves the anharmonic energy defect that accompanies the VV exchange in the lower levels of the CO molecule. An estimate is made of the possibility of scattering of the laser radiation by density discontinuities at the edge of the radiation beam and by temperature waves in the medium.