Carbon dioxide laser with an active medium containing tripropylamine

An investigation was made of the influence of readily ionized tripropylamine (TPA) admixtures on the discharge and optical characteristics of a CO₂ laser. It was established that ionization of TPA via the metastable electronic states of nitrogen in the Penning process is the main mechanism responsible for the decrease in E/p in a self-sustained discharge. Tripropylamine admixtures result in efficient depopulation of the upper active level. The rate constant for deactivation of the 001 level of CO₂ by TPA molecules at low energy inputs was estimated from an analysis of the temporal behavior of the gain. As a result of the decrease in E/p in the discharge, induced by the TPA admixtures, the helium concentration in the mixture could be reduced to 30–40% as compared with 50–60% in discharges without organic admixtures with similar pump sources. A small-signal gain of 5%/cm was obtained in a CO₂:N₂:He = 1:2:2 mixture at an energy input of 270 J·liter^–1atm^–1.