Stability of the output power from a cw CO laser emitting the dominant spatial mode

A comparative investigation was made of the amplitude stability of the output power from sealed CO and CO₂ lasers emitting the dominant spatial mode. It is shown that by using a cw CO molecular laser (emitting simultaneously due to a large number of cascade-coupled vibrational-rotational transitions) as a coherent radiation source, it is possible to achieve a relatively high output power stability in a single spatial mode without using frequency control devices.