Use of pulse-periodic photoionization discharges to excite quasi-cw gas lasers

Investigations were made of the energy characteristics and optimal parameters of a photoionization discharge with different inorganic additives such as NO, NH₃, O₂, and Xe. A pulse-periodic photoionization discharge was found to provide an effective means of exciting gas-flow gas lasers. A quasi-cw CO₂-laser lasing regime with a low power consumption and photoionization of the additives NO and NH₃ was achieved.