Pulsed CO2 laser with a self-pumped mirror based on four-wave mixing in the laser active medium

An investigation was made of a ring laser with a parametric feedback based on four-wave mixing in the active medium of a pulsed CO₂ laser. Dependences of the output energy on the gain in a CO₂:N₂ = 1:1 gas mixture at pressures of 0.1–0.4 atm and on the pulse profile were obtained. The laser radiation power reached 1 MW. Some compensation for phase distortions inside the laser resonator was observed.