Electrogasdynamic CO2 laser emitting mode pairs and excited by transverse dc or hf glow discharges

A quasi-cw electrogasdynamic CO₂ laser was constructed for the first time. It was pumped by a transverse dc or hf glow discharge and emitted mode pairs. The gas was cooled in a planar supersonic nozzle. This arrangement increased the output power (~0.1W) and extended the spectral range of the radiation (16.3–17.2 μ) compared with earlier experiments carried out using a longitudinal discharge in capillary tubes.