Determination of the copper vapor concentration and of the degree of heating of the gas in a transverse-discharge laser

The absorption integrated over a resonance line was used to determine the distribution of copper vapor across a discharge gap in a laser. The gas temperature profile in the discharge was found and the coefficient (~30%) representing the conversion of the electrical energy into heat was estimated for the nanosecond pulse-periodic discharge employed. The gas at the center of the discharge gap was heated to ~2500 °C.