Gain dynamics in the active medium of a pulsed e-beam sustained discharge CO laser: theory and experiment

The small-signal gain (SSG) dynamics is studied experimentally and theoretically in the active medium of a pulsed e-beam sustained discharge CO laser in a broad range of vibrational transitions, various compositions and densities of the active medium, as well as various positions of a small-aperture probe laser beam in the gas-discharge region. The results of measurements are compared with theoretical calculations based on a spatially homogeneous CO laser model taking into account the multiquantum VV exchange processes. The sensitivity of the SSG dynamics to variations in the active medium and pump parameters is studied. Good agreement is demonstrated between theoretical and experimental data on the SSG dynamics obtained by using corrected values of local energy input in the calculations.